Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-18
OUR WATER METERS.
CONDITIONS IN RICHMOND HAVE
IMPROVED DURING THEIR USE.
Mr.. BOILING ON The SUBJECT
lie Reads "a Paper before the Amcri-
can Water Works Association,
which Is Endorsed by "A Resolution
subsequently, Adopted.

water-meters. which were introduced In
this city less than two years ago. ana
were then considered TO be something OF
a venture, have demonstrated their worm
in the saving 10 the city Nand IN restrlct-
ing the waste OF water. ana II IS only q
question Of a short time. il is thought. be-
fore every residence ana place 81 bualiieaS
in Richmond viii be equipped with the".
Mr.. Charles T.. Boiling superintendent
Of ths Richmond city Mater-WCrks, is
firm believer IN the meter system, and mas
studied the question I'm It's every phase
He Is "A recognized authority upon mat
ters pertaining TO water supplies, ana al
the nineteenth Annual Convention OF the
American WAter-Works Association. held
I'm Columbus. o., recently. he read the iol-
lowing highly interesting paper:
Believing experience TO be one OF the
best teachers. ! submit q few results oD-
tanned by placing meters on some OF inc
taps manufacturing and domestic Ih
Richmond. Va. Ia order 90 be clear. ana
that others. similarly situated. and oDc-
rating under like conditions. may compare
and determine the analogy. / deem II pest
10 describe our situation. history ana CON
ditlon. Richmond was one Of the cites
early 10 construct Water-works at mu-
nicipal cost IN 1880 the first pumps ana
reservoir were constructed. ana were uc-
signed to supply a population OF loVV pc'-
pie The plan adopted was TO pump wa
ter by wattr-powcr into reservoir hish
enough TO furnish water by gravity Rch-
mond like ancient Rome, A. built upon
seven hills. divided by deep ravincs. The
part first built up and supplied with Wa
Tor was ON the lower hills and valleys. ana
the city. as IL grew spread out on the
higher plains and hills. In the beginning
there being no sewers. single Migrant
sufiiccd, and often served 90 iurnish Wa
ter 10 several adjacent premises. even as
I'm former days a number Of the citizens
had got their water from one spring, or
well. I'm the neighborhood. From time
20 time. as the demand arose, pumps and
mains were added. thereafter sewers
were built-the demand for greater con-
Venlences and luXur!Cs az higher points,
and on upper fours Of houses, ill, finally,
larger reservoir, on more elevated site,
was requisite. When this was completed
the result was greater pressure, and
greater waste.
MIR. BOLLING's CONNECTION.
was placed i'm charge of the works IN
lgN. Ny greeting was an urgent demand
for more water At that time the pump
ing and delivering capacity was 2ioWOD
gallons per day. and the population 1000
After carefully studying the distributing
system. / divided il into three districts. or
services--a high. low. and intermediate.
The Iow-lylng district was furnished from
the old reservoir: one main from the New
reservoir supplied The middle district, and
another the high district Relief was
quickly given the high one but the inter-
mediate district. which covered nearly
threc-nfths of the whole consumption,
was not greatly benefited due both 20 the
great variety in elevation, differing as
much as $50 feet. and to the great waste
from the fixtures al the low p1in s--the
plumbing in these localities being the old
est. and of The worst. In evidence of the
rapid increase I'm c0nsumpu0n' The daily
per capita I'm 1870 was 10 gallons
in 1880 after the New reservoir
was builU, 50 gallons. and i'm 1870
lGS gallons Citizens living IN the
hlrh points had no water for fixtures ON
the second floors during the day. and The
risk from coudgration for want of pres
sure was serious
The question presented was Mains or
meters? Additional mains carried with
them additional pumps. The estimated
cost was $4,000. From the beginning |
was convinced that the meter system was
a necessity for "a city like ours, and, from
the FIRST. had urged its adoption. IL is
the same old story OF opposition and post
p0ncmcnt Finally. after years of plead
ing. complaint became SO loud tnat some
thing had 10 be done. In the spring of