Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-18
.CITY'S WATERSUPPLY
A Pressing Need That Provision Be
Made for Its Increase.
COLONEL ELLI0TS RECOMMENDATIONS
Raising Of the Dam Of Great Falls
a Necessity.
IMPROVING THE RESERVOIR
IMPROVING THE RESERVOIR

Importance is the increase in the water
supply of the city. Col George H. Elliot,
who is in charge of the Washington aque-
duct, in his annual report of the last fiscal
year states that during the past summer
there were more complaints of the scarcity
of water in the city than has been the case
since the -eight-inch main was
laid. He says that complaints have
not only come from the higher
parts of the city supplied by gravity, but
from other portions of this area from
which complaints have never come before.
The District authorities, he adds, are ex-
tending the area of high service--to which
water is pumped from the United States
mains-to Tenleytown, Brightwood and
other places in the county LAS this will
make a new and increased demand on the
MAINS" he states, lit Is certain that the
deficiency in the portion of the city sup
piled by gravity will soon be greater than
1t is now, and the only remedy, other than
the stepping of unnecessary and avoidable
waste by the enactment of a law requiring
the use of meters by all consumers of
Potomac water, is the raising of the dam.
when the dam was last raised and ex-
tended to the Virginia shore (the work was
finished in 1885, increasing the supply to
the city about 25,OOO,OO0 gallons per diem,
1t gave rise to extraordinary claims for
damages on the part of the co-owners with
the United States of the land and water
rights at Great Falls, amounting to hun
dreds of thousands of dollars, which havo
not been settled to this day. In my judg-
ment but very small portion of these
claims is justly due, but whatever be paid
OH them will have to be paid jointly by the
United States and the District of Columbia.
The Dam Must BE Raised.
For the reason, therefore, that the re-
spective amounts of water to which each Of
the three riparian owners at Great Falls is
entitled have never been judicially deter
mined, they should be so determined, or, If
1t be possible, the United States should ac-
quire all of the water at the falls in the
manner proposed. before another increase
In the height of the dam be made.
II should further remark in connection
with this subject that the object of rails
ing the head Of water at the intake Of the
conduit is to increase the velocity through
the conduit, and thus enable IL to bring
more water down from Great Falls and in
to the distributing reservoir, to the end
that the water in this reservoir may be
kept up to its proper height of 146 feet
above datum. 1t may be found, however.
that even with the water in the distribut-
ing reservoir at this height, il will not re-
store the pressures in the city (Which by
reason of the rapid increase in consump-
ton and waste are constantly falling to
what they were when the 4S-inch main,
which laid in 1880. was first put in opera
ton.
I'm this case it will be necessary at once
to finish the tunnel connecting the distrib-
uting reservoir with the new reservoir near
Howard University, or to lay another As
inch main from the distributing eservoir
to and through the city. 1t should be I'M
derstood, however, that neither OF these is
the alternative of raising the dam at Great
Falls, which must be done in any case, and
with the least delay practicable"
Government the Main Owner.
Col. Elliot, in his report, refers to a bill
that was introduced In the Senate on De-
cember n of last year. providing for the
requirement by the United States of so
much of the land and water rights of
Great Falls might be deemed necessary
for the present and future supply of the
District. The bill further provided for Sc
curing by the United States to its CO.
owners in the land and water rights at the
falls the right to use and the facilities for
using the remainder of the flow of the
river. Col. Elliot states that while the re,
would amount to five-sevenths of the low
water fall and sixty-three sixty-fifths of
the average flow, the riparian rights Of
the United States at Great Falls are so ex-
tensive that the government appears be-
yond all question to own by far the greater
part of all the water flowing at that point.
He therefore concludes that IT would be
unwise for the United States to enter into
the arrangement referred to-, but that, on
the contrary, it should proceed to acquire
all of the water rights at Great Falls not
now owned by Ii. He states that in this
way the supply of water for the city could
be increased from time to time and with
out limit, and the remainder of the power
could be used in the generation of cleo
tricity for the lighting of the public build
ings grounds and streets of Washington,
for pumping of water to the higher levels
of the city and for other public purposes.
He states that these suggestions were ap-
proved by the Senate committee of the
District of Columbia, to which the bill was
referred, and the bill amended and
pending in both houses provides for legis-
lation that is of the highest Importance
to the United States and the District. In
respect to the water supply of this city
Col. Elliot states that this legislation is
more important than any that has been
enacted since the completion of the aQue-
duct, twenty years ago.
He quotes from the report of the Senate
QUESTION of the water power of Great Falls
by the government is recommended, and
also ii is pointed out that this should be
done at once
The Receiving Reservoir.
Col Elliot, in the same report, also gives
an account of the work of building the
drainage tunnel under the Dalecarlia hill
and the shaft in the valley of Little Falls
branch, which is the most important and
difficult part of the project for the improve
ment of the Dalecarlia receiving reservoir.
He states that this work is completed ex-
cant fha coming of the sha n and tho afaip