Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-16
Average daily con
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Until recently two pumping stations have
been maintained; one in Georgetown. pump
ing to level of PISS feet in reservoir at
and sd streets, and one at L street, be-
tween 10th and 18th streets northwest,
pumping to level of 1866 feet in a stand
pipe at 18th and Morris streets Toward the
close of the fiscal year these two systems
were connected by short length of twelve
inch main, and all the pumping has since
been done at the L street station, with a
saving of about 5000 per annum in wages
and fuel.
The Georgetown station Discontinued
The Georgetown pumping station has
been discontinued and the fuel formerly
burned at Georgetown alone is found suf-
ficient to do the pumping for both cities,
the Gaskill engines al L street being much
more efficient than the old Blake pump at
Georgetown. At the same time permission
was obtained from the United States au-
thorities to raise the water level in the
Georgetown reservoir to DOS feet, securing
slight Improvement in the pressure in the
high service mains, which is still very
low on some of the higher streets of
Georgetown. a further advantage to be
found i'll connecting the two high service
systems and operating them as one lies in
the fact that by taking advantage of the
friction head We are enabled while pump
ing to the level of 30 feet in the George
town reservoir to send water in the WASH
lnStOn mains to a level of 30 feet This
makes it possible to dispense with the 18th
street standplpe, which has long been an
eyesore to the public. This standpipe Is
now out of use and steps have been taken
toward securing its removal
The act of June IA, 1892 appropriates
for extending the high service system %
water distribution so much as may be
available in the water fund after provid-
ing for the other expenditures authorized
by Congress in the same act The first
controller has reported to the Commits
sloners that this available balance amount
60 TO S@.oi9S on June 80, 1888. by the books
of the water department; this balance
should be S249, i4S.14; the apparent dis
crepancy is believed to be due TO differ
ence in methods of keeping books and will
shortly be adjusted. For this work a site
has been purchased for a pumping station
near the distributing reservoir above
eTeorSetoWn- surveys and examinations
have been made and a project for begin
ning the work has been submitted and has
received the approval of the Engineer Conn
missioner. 1t is estimated that the neces-
sary Iand' buildings. pumps. mains and
reservoirs that will be required to make
up the high service system will cost in the
near future about $500 900 The fact that
the areas to be applied differ in elevation
from 100 feet to 400 feet above datum adds
greatly to the difficulty of the case as N
necessttates dividing the high service into
a mIfdle service lying between the level
OF 100 feet and 200 feet above datum and an
upper service. living between 900 faat ond
400 This cOmnels us to duplicate certain
parts OF the plant and makes IL more dr.
hIuit " 81 apply Jne llrnred funds at hand
as to secure on immediate benefit from
the money disbursed without waiting for
the completion of other parts of the nro
1ect that must be DELAYED until more, funds
accrue 1t is also important that the least
possible amount of temporary work he
done which will not form part Of the ulti-
mate nrOiect and which will have 70 no
abandoned when the system in its entirety
has been constructed
The Fort Reno Reservoir.
with these two PRINCIPLES in mind II
has been decided to expend the so05 $50 SO
now available in constructing a reservoir
at Fort Reno. the highest point in the Dis
trict; installing a pump at the l.
street pumping station: laying Pinch
mains from the street station to the Ten
allytown road by way of Woodley road: on
the Tenalytown road from the Fort Reno
Brightwood by way of the military road:
from Brightwood to Takoma Park; from
Brightwood to Petworth: from 18th street
to Brookland: from Whitney avenue to
Petworth, and about 10000 feet of 6-inch
service mains will be laid in the thriving
suburbs mentioned above. Much of the
above work is already under contract and
contracts for the remainder will be awarded
during the coming winter with a view
to getting the system in operation by June
80, 1894. A site for the Fort Reno reser-
voir has. thanks to the cooperation of pub
lic-Spirited citizens. been obtained at a
very advantageous price a second reser-
voir is required at an elevation of about
80 feet, but the site has not yet been Sc
cured"