The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-21
BETTER WATER SUPPLY,
THE QUESTION CONSIDERED Bi
COTNtfL COMMITTEES.
Exhaustive Reports Of the Water Com
mission Made to y Joint session OF tn"
Committees on Finance.

q. receiving iN' report OF TIC " "t'' N''-'
mission. appointed some time ago for the
purpose OF suggesting some means by
which more effective water supply couln
be secured FOR the city OF Richmond. J he
following mtmi-fs were present. on the
Committee On Water-Mr Briggs 'Mhp
acted rs chairman. and Mcssrs. Bahen.
Brock. Mayer. ami MOuntCastlc, OF inc
committee on Finance Messrs. Lander
kin. Coitrcn. taskie Hardwicke. ana
Murphy
The chair stated that tn, commit. Q
had been called together 70 receive the
report OF the Water Commission, ana nc
then submitted TWO reports. one signed
b. Mir T.. r ID. Myers Jr.. tho chairman
ana three other members. and "A minority
report submitted by Mr.. Reuben Shi~-
fcns
on motion Of Mr.. Hardwicke It was de-
cidcd that hundred copies OF the TWO
reports be- print d for the use Of
the members of the city Council, END on
motion OF Mr.. Caslic tie representatives.
Q; tho press were Given the pflFilcgc OF
l'rusing the two reports.
The NAJosfrY REPORT.
The report of the majority reads as
TO your resolution OF April Il. 1885.
reading as follows
Resolved That a committee consisting
OF the Superintendent OF the Water
WORKS. the city Engineer. T.. T. -.
Myers Jr.. II. II. Temple. Allan Talbot.
and Reuben Shirrens. be requested TO
examine and report on the following:
u If the present pumping capacity is
sufficient 10 supply the city with water.
ana II not. then 10 report what IS ncces-
sary 10 be done 20 ger sufficient sup
ply. and the approximate cost Of same.
80. To inquire into the respective merits
or The wat"r-ncter system in place OF
increased pumping capacity ana addi-
icnal mgins"-
This committee bccs leave 10 respond:
We have held meetings on April 2id. 9TH.
May ith 18th. June 18Th July %. 9Th.
I'm. August 10Th. After abu aant c0nsic-
,ratiou we have agreed upon the following
/ Tho present pumping capacity IS
sufficient under proper control. 10 supply
the city with water for several years.
.. The watCr-mcteT affords the prop:
control
RECOMMENDATIONS.
We recommend the application Of mo
,crs 10 every service. excepting freely
drauis. believing that il VIII at once
greatly reduce the consumption and dis
tribute the burden OF the water tax IN the
most equitable manner Aware that IL IS
for your committee. If they adopt our
views. To consider how rapid that applica-
ton should be. We would suggest not
less than % per cent. per annum. and
that the application should follow the line
of pressure. the services with the highest
prossures being the first TO provide with
meters.
lt question as 10 the 'llfnf when Il
hiCh-scrvicc should De provided for Lee
district has not been submitted 10 tbs
g Wittcc. We content ourselves with
saying that with due economy. the pump
ins capacity at the river IS sufficient To
supply the present reservoir with water
enough 70 feed such high service for
some years The superintendent esti-
mates the expenditure necessary 10 fur
n such high seTvic" AZ $4,000.
The cost of mctering. including the
M tors already set, II paid for by the
city. and tho probable Increase I'M the
number of taps after tho entire system
is metercd may amount to as much as
$2p2UJ'. upon TIC hypothesis. that the
city supply one meter 10 every service.
but that the consumer pay Tor ahnlion-
nj meters when his service requires more
than one.
wATrR RATES
We regard the present meter rates as
reasonable. but We do not know that II
IS incumbent upou us to discuss the
question Of rates. We. however, venture
10 recommend the following:
l. The city REQUIRES hydrant and
water closet on all premises which nave
access 10 swcrs. The charge per All
g.. and $50 gallons per 81 I'M should be
allowed as The consumption. for water
used i'm excess of IL. a charge Of fifteen
cents per 1909 gallons.
D For premises with q single faucet
no closet or other plumbing fixtures, the
annual charg- as now. s.. the allowance
100 gallons per diem; for water used above
that amount. charge of fifteen cents
g. For each public school. the Cln al
lOwauCc should Dee fifteen gallons per
capita of enrichment OF scholars. teachers.
and attendants; over that fifteen cents
For pubic hospitals and charitable
institutions. -lc fun allowance should be
80 .ullons per estimated capita. over
that fifteen cents per 1000 gallons.
g. For public buildings the fun allow
ance should Doe fifteen gallons DER csti-
mated cap ia. over that. iitaen cents per
1000 gallons
TuE REVENUE.
The estimated revenue. based upon the
existing popuat on. universal metcring.
price of nficen cents per 600 gallons for
domestic purposes. and Sd per cent. OF
that prce for manufactures, putting the
dairy sale of water az these prices at four
milton gallons. D. about $2lScrl rs a max
imum. or Siisv1 AS minimum. The
revenue at present is about Sl51.o0o.
These recommendations are based upon
the following cons.derat ons
rxIsriSG PUMPING CAPACITY
Selecting the best recorded av,r3gs per
diem performance OF the several plants
within any month betw zen 1864 ana 1924.
and combining the effect We finl:
Mil. Gals.
Per Diem.
The old wa;er-pumps liftlng.......... 5.6S
The new watcr-puinIs hfting........ lo.Vi
Total water-pOwer pumps. .......... 15.12
The steam pumps. Observation-Disclosures. 9.N
Making a total delivery of........... p. 80
which we regard as the extreme capacity
Of the works when. without hindrAncc
either from the condition of the river
front or other cause. all the machinery
Is An good working condition. Allowing
for probable CONTINGENCIES, we think
uroner 10 reduce the water-powcr pumps
10 fourteen millions, and even this =
not altogether beyond criticism Is an
OVer-eetinate. The stcam-pOWer pump
was provided for an emergency. and IS
too extensive 20 De employed otherwise.
The highest average daily lift of all the
pumps for any month is recorded Tor
February 1893. as nearly eighteen million
gallons. while fourteen millions daily were
year from 1890 10 1921. inclusive the
steam pumps doing about II per cent. Of
tho work.
THr CONSUMPTION.
Tho maximum consumption during the
period OF 1854 ana 1894. was. nearly
l. oV.0o gallons per diem. FOR
month Of February. 1898, when
Il appears there were eight days
81 very severe weather. This is signiii-
SAINT. IL indicates that the abnormal
lratt was caused 10y outlets left open 10
avoid freezing.
The average delivery OF water between
the year Of 1891 and 1894 rose from ii
million gallons TO nearly IA million gal
tons in 1871. and the declined 10 Y -
millions in 1885. The main cause OF this
decline IL is hut fair TO assume. was that
a.. In. ~. Co..