Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-06-27
Wednesday, June 21, 1900.

protection. This condition required
that the pumping station be constant
ly in charge of a reliable man, compe
tent to keep everything in order, and
this, of course, entailed expense. II
was assumed, as matter of course, thai
all this expense-interest on the bonds
and operation of the plant-should
be borne by all taxpayers who were
supposed to derive equal benefit. Un
der this arrangement then, it would
be merely question of standpipe
full of water, ready to protect prop
erty against fire, regularly EN-
ployed pumpman, idle it was to be
hoped, SO per cent. of his time; but
being paid full wages, in order to have
assurance of his services when needed
and all at the expense of all the tax
payers. In these circumstances the
idea of selling water to private con
sumers was very natural develop
ment. With the water plant and
pumpman at fixed charge, and prac
tically no additional expense except
for wear, tear and fuel, whether the
plant was kept in constant operation
or allowed to stand still, taxpayers, o.
course, would welcome any arrange
ment that would operate to save ex
pense. The prospective consumer al
ready paying his share of the taxes
for the maintenance of the plant at 8
standstill, could easily demand that
water be furnished at as nearly actual
cost as possible. For instance, he paid
for the tapping of the main, and fee
over and above the cost. He paid fol
his piping and plumbing vsuGjecting
his fellow taxpayers to no burden on
that account, and, in addition, he pays
a rental for the use of the water
Every cent of this rental, therefore
that is over and above the actual cost
to the town of furnishing the water he
uses, is just that much off the bill that
non users of water would have to pay
for maintenance in the event there
were no private consumers. There
fore, provided the revenue equals the
wear and tear and cost of pumping,
the consumer is not taking any ad,
vantage of the non. consumer. On the
contrary, The non-consumer is relieved
of burdens he would otherwise have
to bear. The real problem before the
town council then, after the standpipe
is filled with water and kept full is
not between non consumer and con-
sumers but among the consumers
alone. The first duty is keeping the
standpipe full of water and the next
is to require consumers to pay just
proportion of the expense. That this
latter duty can best be accomplished
through means of meters there is no
question but as to whether, in view OF
all the surrounding conditions, it is
the part of wisdom or equity to make
individual consumers bear the addi.
tional expense of buying or renting
these meters, raises a new question.
For instance, the present minimum
water rate for domestic purposes, $S a
year, is high. 1t represents princi.
pal of $l0O, which ought to dig and
equip first.class we'll. All consum-
ers of water have already been at
greater or less expense, and although
the convenience is great, many of them
are doubtful about following the mat
ter any further. 1t is quite possible
that some will prefer to rely entirely
upon their wells rather than buy me-
ters and pay for water by the gallon /;
not for reasons of dissatisfaction, but
from considerations of economy. Each
consumer thus lost will increase the
amount of operating expenses that
will have to be made up from ordina-
ry taxation, water consumers aud non.
consumers, benefciaries of the water
plant and .benefciaries alike. All
these things are receiving the consid.
Grafton of the town council. That
body is giving the whole subject more
careful thought than it has ever re.
ceived before. 1t is studying the mat
ter in all its details from the stand
point of business fairness and equity,
and the people of the town may rest
assured that it will make no mistakes,
except honest ones, which may be cor
rected in the light of further expert