New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-09
Throwing fits" with such agility; and for the
wearied public. patience. This too' Will pass
RROOELyN'S FUTURE WATER SUPPLY.

.nother contribution of importance To the
mucb-discussed question OF Brooklyns water
supply has bcep made in Il report prepared py
Mr. A. de Varona the engineer of water sup
NV and transmitted to Mayor Wurster by Com
missioner Willis, with his Endorsement OF the
recommendations made by the engineer. Mr.
do Vorona has made Il special study OF the
watcr nroblcms that call for solution. and his
oninions will carry weight in the minds or all
who are aware of his competence for dealing
with this subject intellgcntly and comprehend
siyely There are two pressing questions i'll
connection with the water supply of BROOKLYN
One relates to the publication Of the present
sources and the prevention of the recurrence Oh
such condition of the water as existed Il rev
weeks ago and was the cause OF grave COM
plaint: the other has To do with tho future water
supply of the Brooklyn section or greater
Ncw-lork In reference to the former MI. de
Yarona has little to add to what was set forth
i'm the report of the chemical expert employed
by the Department Of City Works. lie lays
emphasis Oh the need Of biological laboratory
i'm which analyses and tests of the water may
be constantly made. wholly apart from the
similar work done by the Health Department.
There will be no disagreement with the engl-
necr's opinions on this subject; and with the
past summer $ experience as guide ana Warh-
ing il is reasonable TO believe that repetition
of it is most improbable.
We now come 10 the vital question or the
future In answer to the query "liow much
.'longcr can we safely rely on the supply To be
''obtaincd from our present system ana me
small plants in the new wards! Mr. dc va
roma says, Five years seems IA safe ana pru-
dent estimate This period of timc he well
remarks scarcely exceeds that which Will he
required 10 build the works necessary 10 iurhish
the additional supply: so it Is of vial importance
that active measures 10 secure such Il sup
ply should be- had NJ once. We do not DelioVe
the cngin ,er takes too radical position. what
he saws is approved without qualification by
his official superior and substantially thr same
views were entertained by the former Commits
sioncr Mr. White who made n painstaking
study of the water question as affecting Brook
lvn i'm all its phases Brooklyn is thus brought
face 10 face with one of the most serious prob
lens that can confront n city. Its union with
New-York. which now seems probable may
simplify II in some respects since the provision
of an adequate water supply for city Of four
or five million people will he Il necessity in the
course of n few years As things are. the Gro
ton watershed is sufficient to meet the wants
of Ncw-Iork City. rs now constituted. Tor srN-
cral years but there will bc little if any. of TN"
Croton 10 spare for Brooklyn after consolidation
takes place. Brooklyn cannot wait In five
years its population will exceed a million and
a quarter and an additional supply of at least
1OO.OOO,OOO gallons per day will be required
In the first place the source from which this
supply shall be drawn must be determined. ana
then the works needed will have To be CON
structcd.
TO secure n full expression Of public opinion
on a matter that comes close home 10 every cifi-
zen, Mr. de Narona and Commissioner Willis
recommend public hearings on the subject.
There is no objection to these. but ii may be
doubted whether much information of value
will be thus elected. Al any rate, there Is no
time 10 he lost. From many points of view the
wscst solution OF the water problem for the
communities clustered around Newlork ilar-
Dor would be 10 tar some incxhausthlc supply.
like Lake George or Lake Ontario, which would
meet the needs not only OF the enlarged New
York but of perhaps several other cities. But
that is Il large project calling for action by the
Legislature.