Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-26
THE WATER SUPPLY
Annual Report of Lieut.. Col. Miller,
in Charge Of Aqueduct.
RECKLESS WASTE IS CHARGED
I've Remedies Are Mentioned
Meters and Filtration
APPROPRIATIONS ASKED FOR

I.kOll III Y HUNS ASH Ell ron
Iieut col. \ NJ. Miller. Corps of Engi-
rccrs the officer in charge of the Washing
ton aqucduct. makes some important rec
concentrations for tn Improvement and
extension If the water supply system of
the District of Columbia in his annual re-
port 70 the chief OF engineers. made public
today.
He :; Us that the total supply of water
which the present conduit can safely fur
nish. without a pressure dangerous 10 Its
safety is T6.WoVJo gallons per diem. This.
however. 1ecessiiates the lowering of the
distributing reservoir to reference IA, thus
involving a loss of head of two feet at that
point of distribution. During the past year,
except when the water was lowered for the
purpose of measuring the daily cOnsump-
ton. the extreme fiuctuation of level in the
distributing reservoir was 10 feet.
General repairs were made to the Con-
duit road during the year, including the
spreading of 6D cubic yards of stone on
the road near the Dalecarlia reservoir. LAS
the keeping of this road in proper order
says Col. Allen. is a necessary item in the
repair and maintenance Of the Washing tOn
aqued'4ct : long as it is kept open to public
traffic. 1t is not deemed necessary TO sub
nit special estimate for this purpose.
TIE rOau is essentially part of the aque-
duct system. and the expense of improv-
ing it and keeping it in order would seem
proper charge to the Improvement. main
tenance and repair of the Washington
aquedIct-
Col Miller reports that all the bridges
connected with the water system are now
in excellent condition. The iron bridge
supporting the 4S-inch main across Rock
creek. has been painted and small repairs
have been made to the Pennsylvania ave-
nue. bridge and Dalecarlia reservoir bridge.
Increased Consumption and Waste.
Tables given showing measurements
of daily and hourly consumption and waste
of water. June n and %. 1859, and also
showing the average daily consumption
and waste of water in each year since 1874.
1t is shown that the average daily con-
sumption and waste of water has gradual
ly Increased from II .35i SiS gallons, in 1874,
to 50.pT9S:l5 gallons. in 1899.
Prom the above table it will be observ-
ed, says Col Miller. that the consump-
ton and waste of water in the District of
Columbia for June u. 1899, was 30 $50
GALLONS per diem. This is the largest June
measurement ever taken, and, estimating
the present population OF the District at
2SD.t4s'. there is obtained daily per capita
consumption and waste of lis gallons.
An examination of the hourly consump-
ton AMI waste. as shown by the hourly
measurement of June p, 1929, shows that
during the hours from a. m. TO Il noon
the measurements show 14.T29.1 95 gallons
of water consumed, and during the hours
from l. midnight TO am. consumption
of 9.I2+.G1I gallons. The first period in
Guides the hours of greatest consumption
and the latter the hours when the least de-
mand is made on the supply. During this
latter period. the hours OF night, there
should be very small demand Tor domes-
tic purposes. and certainly less for manu-
featuring
The consumption during the morning
hours was - per cent of the total, and
during the night hours ~ per cent of the
same. In other words. the consumption
at night was about twO-thirds the con-
sumption when there was the greatest
demand for all purposes
''Th- above statements show that there
Is a reckless waste of water certainly prac-
ticed in the District of Columbia.
las d rule. any considerable leak in a
main OF service pipe, being unconnected
with "A sewer. soon betrays itself and IS
readily stopped. Consequently, the aggre-
gate waste from this source is compare
lively small The evil is due principally
10 defective plumbing and willful waste.
During the periods of very cold weather
The quantity of water used for necessary
Domestic and public purposes is less than
Usual. hut experience obtained from oh
servaJiona of the level of the distributing
reservoir shows that the greatest cOnSump-
ton is during the coolest weather. This
was the experience during 1859 well as
previously. The lowest recorded level at
the distributing reservoir was 144.5 80 on
February Ii. due TO the severe weather
at that time. the thermometer at the res
ervOir having recorded Is degrees Fair.
below zero on February IL and 4 below on
February 10.
This lowering of the reservoir was I'M
doubtedly caused by open taps. the neces-
sity for opening the tap being due to de-
fective plumbing and improper house con-
nections No plumbing should be so ar
ranged or house connection made that
any danger of freezing obtains
Careful and trustworthy Investigations
in the United States show clearly that a
per capita daily consumption of 100 gal
Ions is ample for all domestic. business and
public purposes, and that any considerable
increase above this amount must be at
tributeI TO waste, due to defective mains
and service pipes, defective plumbing and
willful waste
Serious Menace to the supply.
This extrnvagant use of water has become
a serious menace to the supply of water by
the Washington aqueduct with its presen
capacity. The capacity of the aqueduc
with head of 146 feet at the distributing
reservoir. a head necessary to keep up th'
present pressure for the gravity supply, i!
Jo.Uuo.Opo gallons per diem. If the level o
the distributing reservoir We're lowered t
IA feet the ultimate safe limit Of supply j!
100000 gallons. This latter involves
loss of head Of two feet, that to Obtain
the same pressure with the supply add
JiOnal pumping would be required.
The present daily consumption is $4,000.
Gao gallons. and at the rate of increase pc
decade for the last ten years, 1>S9-lS!f9
22.rD,U'V gallons. it would reach the ulti
mate limit Of 100000 gallons in abou
twelve years.
The present consumption and waste ha!
also an important bearing on the subject o
filtration Congress has called for re
port on this subject. and the matter is nov
undergoing investigation. IL is probable
that the cost Of filtration viii be about :
per million gallons. or. at the present rau
Of consumption. about $500 per day, o
$11D.UpJ annually. This is large charg
and can only he reduced by reduction il
consumption.
Two Remedies Suggested.
THE existing conditions suggest two rem
edies. either the reduction Of consumption
to a reasonable rate. lup gallons per capt.,
per diem, or the increase Of the prescn
supply 10 Keep up with the present unrea
sOnable and cNtravagant demand of IL
gallons per capita per diem.
The first remedy, the reduction Of con
sumption. can only he accomplished by tn
lFNFr ft-F5