The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-09
wyAT THE WATER METRE WILL
ACCOMPIiSII.

| very interesting lesson IS lduEht III
the exnericnce of the city Of Danville by
the general use of the wafer metre. Al
the beginning Of the year 1882 1t became
necessary for the city of Danville 10
either increase her pumps ana wafer
MAINS at cost Of $1,000 or take steps
N eton the waste of water. In the lace
of the opposition Of a large NUMBER o.
the citizens the Council adopted metre
ordinance and directed every tap to be
metered. This was carried out ana III
December 1892, all the taps, $5S In NUM-
her. had been supplied with meters lHe
total cost being $l0,&250. The soca re-
sults were at once felt. stated as follows
by the Superintendent Mr.. G. J.. Ballou'
eye did not secure the full benefits OF
the system until December, When the
consumption was reduced % per cent. ne
low that of December, lAJl me use OF
| the meters so far has been entirely satlS-
factory. and Che advantages secured oY
the adoption of the system nave peen
fully equal to all that has been clalmeu
nv the most sanguine advocates OF the
metre. The repair account is greatly re-
duced and the machinery is kept III
much better condition. The saving in coal
oil ETC. is approximately in proportion
to the reduction in consumption OF water
At your present rates the cost OF water
TO consumers for domestic purposes, used
most literally without stint, Is generally
from 80 per cent. to 90 per cent. less than
formerly paid. We are now enabled 10
stop pumping several days in succession,
to allow the muddy water-in the river TO
run. off after rain and preserve the
wafer clear in the reservoir Before put
ting Ina meters the consumption of water
exceeded our pumping capacity, and you
would have been forced very soon 10
have expended not less than $4,000 In a
| new pump and pumping main. by stop
ping the waste the pressure has been IN
creased u ~ pounds per- square inch,
which Is a question Of great importance
in fire protection by erayitation.'
In his annual report to the Council for
the year 1898, Mr.. Ballou states:
at has never been the policy of the city
to make its water works source of rev.
enue, but to make them simply self-sus-
tanning, and thus to furnish its citizens
with an abundance of this necessity OF
life at as low rates as practicable. III
fixing the rates of charges for water by
metre i'm 1892. during which year meters
were adopted. il was supposed that spe-
cifiC charge Of Sc per annum, ana 10 cents
per l000 gallons for domestic purposes,
and "a specific charge % $l0 per aunum
and cents per thousand gallons for all
other purposes, would pro..ace sufficient
revenue to pay all necessary running eX-
penses of the department. The experience
| of the past year however, has shown
| these rates to be inadequate for the pur-
! pose The benefits resulting from the use
| of meters have been fully equa4 to- If not
| greater, than was claimed by the most
! sanguine advocates Of tho system. Cal
! Ions Of water saved (as compared with
! 1SoD, 295,78,S35 pounds OF coal, 1106%O,
| gallons of oil. 152; amount Of tax saved
by Water-takers. $TI595, showing a say
ing OF over 81 per cent Of water pumped
| and IS per cent. Of tax collected. And
! even If the water tax collected had been
| equal 10 the running expenses, there
would have been saving of 90 per cent.
| The individual bills for water for domes-
| tic uses were generally from CD per cent.
to - per cent. less than was formerly
paid for the same service. and, at the
same time. water was used as bount!-
fully for all household needs as hereto
! fore. These figures show that about seven
tenthS G-lO Of the cost of The metre
system was saved in one year. But one
of the greatest benefits secured by tie
use of meters has been in the ability 10
supply only clear water 10 the city. This
one advantage alone is worth the cost OF
the whole metre system. The waste of
water has been effectually stopped and
the pressure in the city has been increas-
cd y l-2 pounds per square inch. our
pumping machinery is in better condition
than it has been for five years. the aver
age~per capita per day was 80 $40 gal
Ions; average pumping hours -. The
per capita in 1881 was 126 1-l0 gallons,
and average hours of pumping 1910"
In his report for the year 1884. Mr. Bal
lou states
In 1898 there was q deficit OF $97S.45 IN
paying running expenses, and, in addition.
N&2.30, the cost of meters and new
water mains. The water rates were re-
vised during the early part Of the year.
and the specific charges made 50 and the
rate ten QO cents per 1000 gallons. Es-
umating the populatioRat i2,0O0. the con-
sumption per capita was ~ gallons The
main argument used by many OF those
who opposed the adoption Of the use OF
water meters was that not enough water
would be used for sanitary purposes, If
required 10 Toe paid for by metre measure.
Their prediction has proven TO be incor-
rect Our sewers and the city generally
are in as good or better sanitary condi-
ton than ever before. The aN erage num-
Der Of hours pumping per day was 4e-l00.
Before the Introduction Of meters We
pumped day and night. including Sundays.
during greater portion of the year. Now
We never work on Sundays or when the
river is very muddy"
Let us take an object lesson from
Danvllle and apply it TO Richmond. The
average number of gallons pumped per
day In Richmond during 1894 was l25l0.6O4
gallons: or. population estimated at $1,000,
lss gallons per capita per day. Danville
42 gallons per capita per day. At the rate
OF Danville, the quantity pumped each
day would be $4,000 gallons. The aver
age number OF hours for the pumps each
dAx aaeludinx Sunday at the new house