Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-01

chess was reported during the past twenty
four hours: Key West, 1856
Tide Table.
Today-Low tide, sol am and 5:23 pms
high tide, 1OI am. and 129 pm.
Tomorrow-Low tide, 6:O2 am. and G:31
+. NJ; nigh tide, 12:10 pm.
from 1880 to 1897, inclusive some of the
figures being as follows: 1880, aggregate,
%. 140, 1853 gallons; per capita, 145 gallons;
1885, aggregate, 25,219, 1914 gallons; per cap
ita. 124 gallons; 1890, aggregate, 30. 541 $40
gallons; per capita, 153 gallons; 1895, ag-
gregate, Al, 6S1 gallons: per capita, lib
gallons 1896. aggregate. A. 1854 gallons;
per capita, 165 gallons: 1897, aggregate,
,267,046 gallons; per capita, 1874 gallons.
The statement is based upon the popula-
ton of the entire District, and includes
the suburban and rural sections entirely
without water facilities, amounting to not
less than per cent of the total.
THE figures show a gradual decrease IN
the per capita use of water from 1850 to
1890. due to an increasing demand and a
stationary supply. With the completion of
the 4S-inch main in 1890 the per capita
shows a sudden increase to 1913 gallons, and
then farther gradual increase to 1S1 gal
Ions in 1894. The per capita decrease since
1894 is due to some cause not apparent
in the above tables.
Normal and Maximum Conditions.
TIC ldDle giving Inc figures COl.-
ditioI s of normal and of maximum, but
not unusual, consumption and waste in
winter and summer. The maximum sum-
mer demand shows the amount wasted as
well as legitimately used for .rrigating
purposes. and the winter demand showing
entirely useless waste by allowing water
to run from fixtures in order to prevent
the freezing of pipes. 1t is this inexcusa-
BILE waste, Captain Burr says, which causes
hn fnCt Iofr inc fiota q
supply.
The consumption January "a, 1897, was
AZ, 600 gallons, or 1913 gallons per capita:
January %. total, so. 700, 600 gallons. or 100
gallons per capita: June %, total, 10, 2S2, 915
gallons, or 1874 gallons per capita: August
II, total. 4S, 722,S54 gallons, or 176 gallons
per capita.
Percentage of Waste.
1.-The per capita use of water in this city,
even under normal conditions, Is SO large
es to lead to but one conclusion-that
large percentage of it is wasted and per-
forms absolutely no useful service In the
past 1t has been the almost universal Gus
tom when the water supply of a city be-
came unequal to the demands made upon
it to proceed, at a large expense, to in
CT tease the supply by enlargrg the works.
or late years. with a rapidly increasing per
capita demand, and, in many instances,
limited available supply. much attention
mas Deen given 10 TeuuCluS WdSle-dNolulil5
expensive extensions of works and in
creasing pressures by conserving the sup
ply already available.
While no data can be given, Capt. Burr
Says, from actual measurements by meters
of the amounts of water used in Washing
ton for various purposes, or wasted to no
useful end, study of the daily and hourly
amounts Of water supplied bears out re-
markedly we'll In many respects the state
ments made as to other cities, which he
quotes:
For this city," he adds, 1.-The per capita
consumption for domestic purposes should
be about thirty gallons. From the known
character Of the city, 1t Is to be expected
that the per capita for commercial and
manufacturing purposes will be relatively
small, as compared with other cities of the
like size lin Boston forty gallons Is esti-
mated for this purpose). and that the total
fer all uses other than domestic should be
less than in a commercial city.
Consumption Proper.
"If the waste is at the rate of % gallons,
and the total consumption and waste is 40
gallons. the consumption proper is but %
gallons per capita, and may be assumed
tc be used entirely for domestic purposes.
Stree the quantity used for municipal pur-
DC ses is probably less than two gallons. AS
this rate covers a population of $4,000 and
the best sections Of the city, 1t may be as
stunned as the actual legitimate use for
domestic purposes for the entire city.
conditions June 24-30) the total consump
ticn is 1854 gallons and the minimum hourly
rate is 40 gallons. A liberal assumption
that 10 gallons of the latter is used, shows
a waste of 40 gallons and legitimate use
of "a gallons, of which, as estimated above,
q gallons is for domestic purposes and
q gallons for ahSother commercial, munich
PAL and government purposes.
tine consumption September II, as COM
pared with June 24-3O, shows a minimum
use for sprinkling purposes of twelve gal
lens per capita for the District. For the
high service alone 1t is % gallons.
Shortage Accounted For.
1.-THE figures for January "a and 81 are
interesting, as showing the enormous daily
waste of water al .45O, 600 gallons total. IL
gallons per capi.a) from allowing fixtures
to run in cold weather to avoid freezing.
When added to the normal regular waste,
i. is not surprising that the higher locali-
ties are short of water during cold waves
aid for some days thereafter.
"A resume of the above figures as to per
capita use of water is:
For domestic purposes, %, or say 80 gal
Ions; for commercial and United States
purposes. q. or say 30 gallons; for sprin-
king (maximum). II. or say Is gallons.
Total maximum legitimate use, IS gallons.
Add for waste, not deliberate or willful,
25 gallons, and the total Is 100 gallons per
capita. or 2s,O0O.O00 gallons a day With
such an allowance and supply Of water,
there would be ample for all purposes. do
nestle, commercial and public. There
would be no necessity for stinting or econo-
my in any legitimate use of water. All
that is necessary is the suppression of
careless. deliberate and willful waste, due
to defective plumbing. known or unknown,
and positive personal violations of regula-
tons in opening fixtures to allow water to
run continuously.
Use of the Meter.
There is but one means to fully control
nd n nuAn he
tension of the meter system to all classes