Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-07
WATER AND LIGHT
Recommendations of the Engineer
Officer in Charge.
ANNUAL REPORT MADE BY CAPT. BURR
More Reservoir Facilities for the
High Service Needed.
THE LIGHTING SCHEDULE
ANNUAL REPORT MADE BY CAPT. BURE
THE LIGHTING SCHEDULE

Capt Edward Burr the engineer officer
In charge of the division of water and light,
today submitted his annual report to the
COMMISSIONERS. Referring to the water
supply, he says:
THE supply of water available for the
use of private consumers has at times been
very Inadequate to the demands made upon
it, The last increase in the supply system
was completed in 1892 when the 4S-inch
main was put in service The increasing
demand for water, due to the rapid growth
of the city. and particularly in the higher
areas, has. however, been much greater
than was anticipated and the consump-
ton has in five years outgrown the supply
system. which in 1899 was considered ample
for at least fifteen years.
An examination of the tables shows
that while the pressure is fairly well
maintained on Capitol Hill, there is mark
ed falling off in all other localities, and at
some points on or near the large mains the
conditions are very little better than 1880.
At points off the large mains the deficiency
in pressure is still greater. During the
past winter complaints were very numer-
Gus and came from all parts of the city,
including Capitol Hill. where the supply
under normal condition is ample. Where
the deficiency in water supply is confined to
suslc locality, relief may be had by re-
sorting to temporary eXpedientS, but a
general deficiency can only be improved by
an increase in the general supply. 1t will
be noticed from the tables of pressures
that while the pressures in the large
mains have fallen off ten or eleven feet
the water in the distributing reservoir was
maintained at practically the same level
in 1885 as in 1880. the difference in level
being only one foot, and this difference be-
ing due largely to causes outside of the
draft on the city mains. There is undoubt-
edly urgent necessity for increasing the
means for supplying the reservoirs, but
Immediately increasing the facilities for
bringing water from the distributing rcser-
voir to the city. With an unlimited supply
in the reservoir the consumers can expect
no increase in the amount of water fur
nisred them until the tunnel conduit or a
substitute therefor is completed. Much in
convenience, distress and danger are now
continually experienced from the present
inadequate supply of water, ana with
prompt action no relief can be had Cor
at least two years. 1t cannot then be too
urgently recommended that steps be i'm
mediately taken for increasing the facili-
ties for bringing water from the distribut-
ing reservoir to the city.
A New Reservoir Needed.
1.-The only reservoir facilities on the mid
die high service system are furnished by a
small reservoir at sd and U streets, George
town, the property of the United States,
and under the control of its officers. This
reservoir is of much too small capacity. and
it's elevation, 220.5 feet above datum. is in
sufficient TO give fair service to the high
er points of his system. The most urgent
needs OF this system arc increased reservoir
facilities and larger force mains. new
reservoir should be located at some point
on the high ground back of the central
part of the city. and at eleva-
ton of about go feet above datum.
Several sites are now under consideration.
and it Is hoped that the construction of a
reservoir, with a capacity not less than
15,0GO,U0o gallons. will be commenced during
the next fiscal year. During the past year
G6lG linear feet of 24-inch main were laid
in making connection at the pumping sta
ton with the new 5,GO0,O00 gallon engine
and for force main from the pumping sta
tior toward the proposed reservoir. This
main laid from 18th ard u streets to
18th street and Whitney avenue and will
be eNtende to the reservoir as soon site
therefore has been acquired
The capacity of the force main for the
middle high service from the U-Street pump
ing station toGcorgetown, now in part12-inch
main and in part 10-inch main, is over
taxed. During the coming year a 2O-inch
main, with two Finch extensions. will be
laid tor the Improvement of the service in
the Georgetown high service area. The p
irch main for supplying lexington and
Brooklard should be completed early
practicable
Public Wells.
There Were Ill public wells in use june
80, 1890 During the year Al wells were
filled and abandoned, and new wells were
driven
IN any metropolitan district" says the
report, such wells are liable to contamiua-
ton from sewage and surface drainage.
and 1t may be confidently asserted that
sooner or later the water in all of them
will become unfit for potable purposes.
Continued efforts are being made to have
the water from tie public wells in the
District frequently examined chemically,
and upon the concurrent showing of two
examinations by different chemists that the
water in any we'll is Sc contaminated to
be unfit for use the well mas been closed
These wells are frequently located in close
proximity to sewers and in places that are
otherwise insanitary. Since sewers are
rarely absolutely water tight all wells near
them are surely liable to contamination
with sewage at no distant time. AS mat
ter of fact large percentage of all the
wells SO far examined have been found to
be polluted. and it is safe to assert that
every shallow well IN densely populated
metropolitan district is, or soon will be- q
menace to the public health
During the year two deep wells We're
driven for experimental purposes. One of
these wells is located at Brigntwood, Oh
Brightwood avenue jest south of the Mill
tary road and the other at 9Th and G
streets southwest Both wells We're driven
to a depth of nearly $50 feet, and were
lined with six-inch wrought iron pipe, eX-
cepting where driven in rock. The Bright
wood well was driven some distance in the
A supply of water was obtained in each
well sufficient to meet the demands on it.
The water from each well has been ex-
an:ined chemically and found to be of very
good quality.
'rhe majority of the existing public wells
are located where they will be of service
to the poorer classes and when the wa ter
is good, undoubtedly of great benefit
and comfort to the people who cannot
afford to cool their water with ice for
drinking purposes. If contaminated and
abandoned shallow wells can be replaced
by deep wells. furnishing pure water, a
lasting benefit will be conferred on these
classes
1.-The two experimental wells driven dur
ing the year indicate that good water can
be had at a reasonable depth and cost and
it is recommended that the number of
public wells Of this class be increased
An item of $4,000 for this purpose should
be included in the estimate for 1897"
Water Meters.
During the year the number of water
meters in use has increased from 202 to
231. Only twenty-nine new meters have
been placed since the last annual report.
Notwithstanding the extremely low meter
70 op1,- &c