Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-07-19
THE PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY.

THE PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY.
AS the result of what might be
termed indiscriminate waste on the
part of customers, Yorkville's public
water supply has become quite serl-
Gus problem to the town council, and
that body is engaged in the task OF
trying to straighten matters out.
During the hot, dry weather of the
past six or eight weeks, the source OF
supply has been tested to the utmost.
Often it has been necessary for the
pumpman to fill the standpipe two or
three times a day, and several times,
after the standpipe had been filled as
late as 9 or 10 o'clock at night, it has
been found next morning to be practi-
cally empty. But this is not the worst
of it. The drain on the reservoir has
been such that at times there has not
been sufficient water to keep the stand
pipe full, and the situation has become
very serious, especially from the stand
point of keeping on hands sufficient
water to guarantee protection against
fire.
There is no question of the fact that
for ordinary legitimate purposes of the
town of Yorkville, the present water
supply is ample. In fact it is more
than ample. One standpipe full-or
60, 900 gallons per day-is more than is
required at any time during the winter,
or during a season of rain in summer.
Even at the present low state OF water
in the streams, it is practicable to bill
the standpipe twice day, and still
have a good supply in the reservoir.
1t is claimed, however, that the trou-
bic is due TO the tremendous amount
of water that is wasted on private
lawns and gardens in violation of the
terms on which the water is sold. The
rules and regulations on the water
subject, which are in the shape of Or
dnances, provide that water may be
used for sprinkling purposes, by those
who pay for the privilege, between
certain hours. Instead of confining
themselves to those hours, many GUS
toners allow water to run indefinitely
and thus furnish the heavy tax on the
source of supply as we'll as upon the
towns pumping facilities. In order to
try to regulate the matter, the town
council has passed the following ordi-
nance:
Section l. That on and after the 2nd
day Of July A. D., 1899, all persons, firms
and corporations within the corporate
limits of the town Of Yorkville, South
Carolina, using standpipe water for
sprinkling lawns, yards or watering gar
dens, or using the same for agricultural,
mechanical, or manufacturing purposes,
and, also all livery stables using said wa
ter he, and the same hereby are, required
to attach, at their own expense, and keep
in constant use, good, tirst-class water
meters.
Section 2. That any person, firm or cor
poration violating the provisions OF TINS
ordinance shall, upon conviction, be fined
not less than $40 nor more than S25, or
sentenced to labor upon the streets of said
town of Yorkville, or the public works of
York county, for not less than 10 days nor
more than 25 days for each and every Of
tense.
The motives prompting this ordi-
nance, Of course, are all right but on
account of what seems TO us as very
amusing misconceplion of its relations
to the water customers, the town coun-
ell has hardly taken hold of the mat
ter in the right way. For Instance,
the council seems to forget that in so
far as the water plant is concerned, its
relations to customers are exactly the
same as would be that of private
corporation engaged in the business of
selling water, and it has no more right
to compel the customer 10 do anything
that he might not want to do than a
private corporation would have.
OF course, the only equitable basis
upon which water can be sold is by
the gallon, and in order to sell it By
the gallon it is absolutely necessary
that there should be meter to meas