Evening star., 1898-01-12

inspections it could not be brought below
liS gallons, of which a large percentage
Is undoubtedly waste This institution was
and probably still is drawing water to
the amount OF over 500 per annum. Case
~ is similar in many respects to case 8.
the per capita use and waste being 1914 gal
Ions, and the annual value being nearly
$3.50. In contrast to these cases, attention
Is invited to the data in case IL. an insti-
tuition that pays for water, the per capita
rate being only "a gallons per diem
Under the act of the corporation of
Washington of October 10. 1863 the use of
water free Of charge is authorized to
churches, orphan asylums and charity
schools. In all institutions entitled to free
water examinations have shown to exist
the conditions noted in cases and 10
ABOVE, and the water department finds it.
self unable to correct the evil under exist
ing law. After much attention an hourly
rate. nightly. of 1867 gallons was reduced
to 300 gallons, but within only three days
alter supervision was relaxed, there was an
increase to 500 gallons per hour. Prob
ably all waste due to preventtble
causes. mainly the negligence of employees.
correction OF waste in these institutions
cannot be enforced as in ordinary cases by
cutting off the supply of water. By legis-
latiVe enactment, they should be allowed
the use free Of charge of such an amount
OF water, not exceeding 100 gallons per
capita, as the Commissioners may deem
necessary and desirable for all proper pur-
poses. Any excess above such allowance
should be paid for at the rate charged TO
all other consumers, under the same pen
alties as to non-payment.
Attention is invited to the accompany
ing report of the superintendent of the wa
ter department:
Superintendent McFarIand's Report.
After reciting more in detail the cases re-
ferred to by Capt. Burr, Mr.. Mcfarland
says:
As an example Of the excessive waste
OF water furnished free to charitable
institutions, attention is invited to the fol-
lowing results obtained by metering the
supply to the Washington City Orphan
Asylum:
Readings taken from midnight to am,
october ID, 1897, showed an hourly rate of
flow at that time of ,967 gallons while the
amount used and wasted in twenty-four
hours was 81 163 gallons
AS the total number of inmates at this
time was 1l3, the daily per capita flow
reached the amazing amount of 35S gallons
The rate at midnight was "a per cent of
the rate for the whole twenty-four hours
The attention of the authorities having
Deen called to this enormous waste, a num-
Der OF repairs were made to defective WA
ter hxtures, and on November 6 a second
midnight inspection was made. showing an
hourly rate of waste of only 300 gallons a
reduction of about 50 per cent. BY Novem-
Der this waste had again gone up to S65
gallons per hour, without doubt due to
the employees o the institution.
An Instance Cited,
An inspection of the Children's Hospital
on October showed an hourly rate at mid
night Of 900 gallons, and subsequent read
ings mean daily consumption and waste
OF 26,lt2 gallons In this case the night
rate was 81 per cent of rate for whole day
and the per capita per diem 1874 gallons
subsequent notifications in the plumb
Ing at this institution no doubt greatly re-
duced the waste, but the meter was re-
moved before these changes were made
1t Is respectfully submitted that the
only practicable way to check this useless
waste of water is to permanently meter all
institutions entitled to free supply and es-
tablish in each case a liberal maximum
amount which must not be exceeded.
In every case Investigated the waste has
been found to result from wholly prevent
able causes. If, therefore, 1t can be made
to the interest of the consumer to correct
these defects, the problem will be solved
In contrast with the above at the Cath
olic University of America. where water
used is paid for by meter measurement, the
daily per capita consumption and waste
from January to April ., 1897, was fifty
four gallons
Accompanying the report, in tabulated
form, was a summary of the cases pre-
sented, which are typical of a large num-
ber of others Investigated during the past
few months.