The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-05-22
OYER 100000 GALLONS
That is Amount Of Water Used In
This City Daily.
SOME VERY LARGE FIGURES
How Long IL Would Take to Dispose OF
One Days suppiy-n Each Inhahit-
ant Used Two Quarts a Day It Would
Last for More Than Four Centuries.

How many people stop to consider
how great is the quantity OF wa4er con-
sumed yearly by the residents OF Provi-
dence 2 Very few it can be wagered.
Thu average citizen goes to his faucet
and draws his water. and thinks nothing
Of the cost Of maintaining the vast sys
tenn OF water pipes and other things es-
sential to the supplying Of a large city
with that precious fluid. With him it is
simply q matter of convenience and Gus
TOM, and the advanced stage of the
world decreeinR that such things should
be, he thinks not of the great amcSnt of
labor deyoiying upon the public ser
wants in having water ready at his hand.
In this city the average daily consump-
ton OF water ranges from 1900, 600 TO
5000. 900 gallons. During the quarter
ending with December the average daily
consumption was 8.045. 900 gallons, and
for the year S,05S,00 w gallons. This Is a
gain Of almost 1000. 600 over the previ-
GUS year. The average daily consump-
ton for the year ending with December.
1891. was 7,272,072 gallons, and of the
previous year q. 743, 092 gallons. In this it
can be seen that the demand for water Is
constantly increasing with each year.
Not All for Domestic Uses.
Not all of this water goes for drinking
purposes, a large share being used in
manufactures aud mills. And then
again there is the great flow of
water caused when big confiagrations
break forth, hundreds aud thousands OF
gallons being poured into buildings To
check the progress Of the fire.
In speaking of the amount of water
used yearly the figures reach an mount
too great almost for comprehension.
Eight million gallons daily a
yearly total of 2920, 600, 0G0 gallons, or
H. $50. Ooo. 900 quarts. If this was to be
divided up among the population allow
ing one pint To a person rs, 1860. 000, 900
PEOPLE would be given "a chance TO drain
their Gil Of the fluid.
A man With n tin dipper holding a
quart, dipping out this vast ocean at the
rate of "A quart per minute, for ten hours
per day would be 10, 466. 6662S days or
o.333x years in completing the job. He
probably would not live To finish his con-
tract, and IL the immediate members of
his family o o hold of IL the original
contractor would be forgotten for CEN
turtles ere the task were finished.
Would Take q Long Time.
Allowing two quarts per day, which is
the average consumption OF water by the
people, the population of the city would
be 421 years in disposing of this supply.
The department OF public works is one
Of tue busiest in the city. Upon this de-
partment devolves the care of all the
highways aud property belongirg to he
city OF Providence and the continual ac-
tivity necessary to keep everything In
the best OF order and make improve
ments is great.
That 30 little trouble is experienced by
the people In the getting of water is
con- mendable TO tae department. a large
force of workers being continually on
the move looking for broken mains and
making repairs and improvements In
the service. The department is under
tue personal supervision OF Commits
sioner Smith, aud during his period of
service II has attained "A degree of excel
lence iG never had before.
10 supply this ormou flow Of water
the Pawtuxet river is drawn upon, aud
since its Lesinning the service has never
failed. Several great reservoirs retain
the water, each holding millions and
millions of gallons. Tue larger part of
the water Consumed comes from the
reservoir at Sockannosset aud from
there II Is pumped into the smaller re-
servior at the Hope pumping station, from
whence a part OF the East Side" is sup
piled. AS "a whole Providence drinking
water is comparatively pure, although
at times there is uDeasiness because of
It's pollution from the mills and work
shops "A ong its banks.