New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-15
H-U-M-P-H-R-E-Y-S
NEW YORK'S WATER SUPPLY.
PRESENT SOURCES DECLARED INsUFFI-
GENT
THE NEED OF ECONOMY TO-DAY-NEw WATER
SHEDS SHOULD BE GOTTEN AT ONCE.

SHEDS SHOULD BE GOTTEN AT ONCE.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: In his communication headed TOO Much
Economy in Water in last Sundays Tribune
c. H. NJ. voiced sentiment that is shared by
great many OF citizens. but is rarely made pub
lie. About all that / have published on the
other side-urgng the necessity for economy in
water-has emanated from connected
with the Public Works Department.
That such plea is the result Of actual necessity
because OF a constant shortage of water during
some portion of each year for many years past
there Is doubt. Since the consumption OF water
this city exceeded 100000 gallons daily dozen
years ago.. there has been alnos constant
yearly scarcity except in very wet years and. con-
sequently. economy has been the cry and the prac-
tlce. have a chart recently published by the
Fire Underwriters. l think. in which II appears
that fifty years ago the water was so pientlfuI
that IT rose to a height Of nlnetyfve feet above
the at the Battery; while at present with
identically the same system and elevation OF dis
,ributing reservoirs the flow from the mains rises
only forty feet high Such enormous stop In
pressure-over one-haf-ls due 10 a demand greatly
in excess OF the supply. Buildings that existed
fifty years ago then adequately supplied with
water all their floors while the same buildings
to-day are very inadequately supplied. To get water
above their first or second floors they must all
resort to private pumps.
Such a deprecated water service is not right;
II is inexcusable and the municipality is unques
;ionably liable for any damages that may occur
in consequence of its failure maintain the service
at the degree Of its original efficiency 1t ought 10
have advanced the service in efficiency the city
advanced in population wealth and character Of It's
buildings; but the retrograde in water supply has
been marked the improvement in other re-
spects \ great deal has been said in the last few
months about the unreasonabeness Of the demand
from owners OF "sky-scrapers' for more water
pressure. II l have observed correctly. that de-
mand came Just vehementy from the owners OF
low buildings 1t did from owners Of higher
ones The Chamber OF Commerce. Board Of Trade
and Fire Underwriters. well merchants and
real estate agents generally. Joined in the appeal
and they did not speak in behalf OF sky-scrapers:
they spoke 10. the buildings which were erected
long years before a sky-scraper thought Of
for those buildings which the water scfr.y served
passably well twenty-five to fifty years ago Let
the demand from such buildings be satisfied by re-
storing the old pressure and service. II nothing
better can be done. before crying out against the
sky-scrapers.
1t is a burning disgrace to have the chief city Of
this great nation short OF water that II must
have such restrictions the following in its regu
lations governing the of water:
The use of hose to wash coaches. omnibuses,
wagons railway other vehicles, or horses
cannot be permitted" Why not, II people will
ing to pay for it? Simply because the supply is
frequently short that it would be dangerous to
Taps at washbasins. water-closets baths and
urinas be left running. under penalty of
s. fo- each offence which will be strictly enforced"
Is not the Offence" often greater in such places
from the absence Of running water than the whole
some act OF letting it would be?
Fountains or jets in hotels. porter-houses eating
saloons confectoneries other buildings.
strictly prohibited" No wonder that We cannot
have a fountain in a public park or square II jet
is prohibited in a hotel or apothecary store. The
fact is that during some parts Of every day the
pressure drops low that neither pubic FOUNTAIN
private jet would play. That IS because the
street mains are too SINAI TO MAINTAIN the pressure
ana, after all l. mos fortunate tndt sucs y tne
case; were the mains larger the supply Of water
The use Of hose for washing sidewalks. soops,
areas house fronts, yards courtyards, gardens ana
about stables IL proh bited' only think OF H.
Such restriction does not exist in Rome; nor in
works that am aware OF 1t would be disgrace
in COnstantinople or Erzeroum.
II a property owner is fortunate enough TO have
water p from n1 G his own %e through nose I'm order
that the police or inspector may Understand mat
the permission is not for the use OF Croton water
1t must. indeed. be a short water supply. which
makes necessary prohibitions Of such ordinary and
customary Of water.
The writer doubts II there is "unjustifable
other consumers The per capita consumption-ess
than 100 gallons daily-is far feOW that OF many
other American cities whose citizen. have the adj
vantage Of private wells. brooks and other
outside of the municipal supply At all events. a
wholesale Of meters would not materially cur.
tai the use The people appreciate me Goniitor,
and value OF "A generous use OF water 100 Hlucn 70
restrict themselves through the mere matter OF Us
low The meter system In vogue in this city
to-day is "A farce, a whole. which can be ascer-
tanned by dligent inquiry at the Water Department
G. Fl. NJ Is correct in every idea he expresses
the wherein he presumes that the sources
II supply are sufficient for many years ana that
all We need f. more reservoirs. he Is lea INTO
that through nexcusable inaccuracies con-
tanned in public reports. They are nexcusabe. be-
cause other public reports from more competent
sources contain contradictions, ana snow pIalhly
that II things 90 they are going now, not
outstanding the existing restrictions, such as low
pressure and small mains the consumption VIII
the supply will be- after every proposed possible
storage reservoir X built In the Crot1n watershed
The great reservoir TO pe made Dy me Corne ei
Dam. which will hold 40 per cent OF al the stored
water will be ready for use before eight years.
and possibly When il is done. year Ike the
present several similarly dry ones IN the past
v-U not Weld more than 2S0.el'g0 gallons day,
even by carrying a part from the preceding
year az there Is any TO carry over; wnue that
plration OF five years 2Oo,rO"0 gallons Will prob
ably be the daily averaga OF 1895, az against
100000 in 1890
in the Croton River during twenty-five years 10
have been 400 100000 gallons. and IT has been care
lessly stated that that was the supply we Gould
IL must not be thought that can depend on an
average In dealing with water supply. some very
wet years have Yielded average OF HO,U0VC gai-
Ions daily. while others have run as low as go.
100000 Asid. furthermore, not over 20 per cent OK
the flow OF any year can be caught after al the
reservoirs are built. They MI ana run 70 waste
during freshet months-February. March and April
wren nearly one-half the yearly yield runs In the
river.
reports. not to alternate. but TWO and three dry
years have followed In succession on several &C.
casions. That destroys the reliance on carrying
The city must get some more watershed and more
elevated. and cannot set II too soon III II Is 80
fortunate as 10 escape actual want OF water be-
Mill ka soil