The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-25
DID NOT FAVOR METERS.
WATER COMMITTEE THINKS THEY
ARE NEITHER FEASIBLE
Non ADVISABLE.


concentrations, Including Two Or
dinnnces to Prevent Waste-One
Makes Occupants or Owners of
Houses Subject to Fine or Impris-
onment for Permitting Leaks TO
Go UnnoticeS-COmmitt Author
fzed to Obtain Bids for sinking
Two Additional Wells at the
Springfield WOrks-COuncn to At
tend Unwilling of TomOchichi
Memorial.
From the report submitted by the water
committee TO the City Council yesterday
afternoon. it will probably be some time
before water meters will be adopted in
| Savannah. The tenor of the report is TO
the effect that the burden of buying me-
| tiers is too great to put upon tax payers at
| this time, and for that reason, the COM
mittee does not recommend their adoption.
even at any future time.
The report states that the committee in
vestigated the meter question, and came
to the conclusion that If the city was thor
| oughly metered, there would not be the
present shortage of water. The committee
does not think it feasible. or advisable. TO
| endeavor to meter the entire city at pres
ent owing to the great expense 1t would
be to property owners. A well known citi-
zen estimated that il will cost about $4,000
to make this Improvement.
Following is the report of the water com
mittee:
Savannah, Ga. April "a, 1870 the
| Honorable, the Mayor and Aldermen of
the City of Savannah: In accordance with
the motion to refer to the committee on
| water the communication from Mayor
| Myers in regard to the scarcity of water
we herewith submit our report with rec
concentrations:
The committee find that the works are
| pumping to the full capacity of the wells
az the new water works without being
able to maintain a full pressure on the
mains throughout the day, owing to the
increased consumption of water by the
city consumers, the army camps and cor
| rails, the government hospital, and the
contractors on the various underground
conduits in the city. Your committee is
| thoroughly convinced that If the unneces-
| sary waste of water, due to leaky fix
| lures and carelessness of consumers I'M
der the present system of paying for wat
er, could be stopped, that our supply would
be ample for some years to come, but as
the condition of a short supply of water
| confronts us we make the following rec
concentrations for a temporary relief:
l. The passage of an ordinance. to be in
PRODUCED to-day, to have persons placed
| on the docket and water shut off from
| their premises without notice until waste
| is remedied when 1t Is found that water
| is being wasted, either through the care
| iessness of consumer or by leaky fixtures
ON premises.
2. The passage of an ordinance now be-
ing prepared, to require all gobe-valve
and hopper closets taken out and replaced
with tank flush Closets
| 3. Putting in operation of the old water
works plant, say, for period of two
months at ten dours a day. This will
give us about 100000 gallons addition sun.
| ply, at cost to the city of about 500
per month, which will give ample water
Tor all purposes. AS you will see. thi.
is a very expensive way of furnishing
water, the operation of two separate
plants.
4. The boring of two more wells oy
the line of the present conduit of the neu
| works, so as to increase our SUNNY nj
that point by about 1000, 900 gallons daily
In regard to the supplying of the gov.
eminent with water free, we beg to renort
that we cannot find anything in the ma.
ture of an official agreement or promise n
supply the hospital, camps, ETC.. witt
water free indefinitely. The government,
uses great quantity of water, and W.
Wouio IKE TO be Instructed as to the
course we should pursue in this matter
Your committee has been INVESTIGATES,
the meter question for some time am
nave come to the conclusion that az tbf
city was thoroughly metered there vvouI6
not be any shortage of water AT nresept
nor for some years to come, as our sunnIy
OF water Is ample for all legitimate an
liberal uses of the inhabitants of the cItv,
We do not think it feasible, or advisa.
PIE, at the present time, to endeavor tc
! meter the entire city, owing to the erea,
expense it would place upon the nror,acs'
owners. respectfully, Hal II. BACON
Chairman Committee
An ordinance, introduced by Aldermen
Bacon, ana which was passed. will nroh.
ably check the waste of water II nro,,,1s,
that 1t shall hereafter be the dutv ~ a.,
inspectors, or of any police officer learn,
ing the fact, to at once docket. withoul
notice, the occupant or occupants OF ann
premises where water supplied nv tba Nc
ter department of Savannah, is pernoitted
to leak or waste in any way and such 30.
cupant or occupants shall be subject unor
| conviction before the Police Court 10 !
fine not TO exceed $25, and to imprisonment,
not TO exceed five days, either or both IN
the discretion of the court. II shall also he
the duty Of the inspector, or other proner
official, TO have the supply of water cut
off from the premises until the leak has
been repaired. The owners of property
where waste is permitted shall also he
subject to a prosecution under the ordi.
nance and to the penalties prescribed
therein. There being no dissenting voice
the ordinance was put on its second read
ing and passed. Those who voted for /,
wereAAldermen Thomas. Williams. Tiede.
man, Doyle, Wells, Dixon and Bacon.
Alderman Bacon said the water supply
has been running down every summer for
the last few years. He thought the two
wells provided for would meet the extra
demand, and would place the city In posi-