Evening star., 1901-05-03
THE WATER SUPPLY
Increased Pressure to Be Given Capi-
tol Hill.
EFFECT OF new FILTRATION PLANT
Construction of Beds Will Not
Close Thoroughfares.
NECESSITY FOR MORE MONEY

1t is probable that by next October Cap
1tol Hill will have a water, supply that will
be available one story higher than it is to-
day. Houses that can get water without
pumping only as high as the second story
now will then be able to have it in the
third story. The pressure will be increased
by about fifteen feet. This will result from
the completion of the Lydecker tunnel and
the Howard University reservoir, so that
the distribution Of water through the mains
can be made from this reservoir instead of
from the reservoir on the Conduit road
above Georgetown. When the filtration
plant is completed the pressure on Capitol
Hill will be slightly further increased by
reason Of the water in the clear water
basin from which the filtered water will be
distributed being maintained at level of
about three feet higher than In the reser-
voir.
Not only is relief for Capitol Hill near at
hand. but the use of the new reservoir will
give better water to this city than 1t now
has. This will be quite noticeable next
spring. when, the freshets cause the Poto-
mac water to be very muddy. The new
reservoir will hold enough water to supply
the city for six days, giving that much
more for settling than is now given. The
water will then go to the receiving reser-
voir, at the boundary of the District on
the line Of the nine-foot conduit, then pass
to the present distributing reservoir. above
Georgetown. and go again to the Howard
University reservoir for distribution. This
arrangement will result in making the pres
ent distributing reservoir above George
town merely a settling basin, which could
in the event Of an accident to the Howard
University reservoir. be connected to sup
ply water directly to the water mains Of
the city as at present.
Money All Expended.
Congress has appropriated 100000 toward
the purchase Of land and the building Of a
filtration plant. OF this amount $3.50, ,OO0
will be required to buy the land located
almost wholly between Cincinnati street
and the Soldiers Home and North Capitol
street and Howard University reservoir,
comprising in all about forty-three acres,
including streets. This leaves $4,000 for
work on the plant most of which has been
basin to hold the filtered water before 1t
is distributed, and for other incidental
work. This clear water basin is located
west Of LIST street west and just north of
the reservoir. 1t will be large enough only
to hold four or five hours Of supply for
the city. Only a small amount of money
. Will remain in the treasury after paying
for the land for the plant. and Congress
will be asked for a substantial appropria-
ton next winter to continue the work. To
complete the work 81 100, 600 additional ap-
preparation will be required, and If it Is
made in liberal sums it will require be-
tween two and three years to have the
plant ready to begin the work Of ffltering
the water.
Closing of Streets.
A good deal Of curiosity has been devel-
oped about the appearance and practical
operation Of the filtration plant. The fact
is it will be attractive feature for the
section of the city in which it is located.
1t will not require the closing of any street
that could now be used as thoroughfare
in passing from one section Of the city to
another. The streets to be closed run from
east to west, and are already cut off by
the Howard University reservoir on the
west and by the land Of Glenwood cemetery
and Trinity College on the east. North
Capitol street skirts the filtration plant on
the east, and will not be disturbed, while
list street west will go through the middle
Of the filtration beds, and will remain ex-
actly as 1t now is, except that pipes will
be laid under it to convey water to the
fltering beds east Of the street and to
carry the filtered water to the clear water
basin for distribution.
Like q Park.
e. Along 1st and North Capitol streets the
filtering plant will have the general ap-
pearance Of park, except that the beds
WILL be covered by low roofs. There will
and there will be nothing unsightly about
the plant. After the plant has once been
established there will be very little hauling
to and from 1t. There has been quite a
general impression that the mud removed
from the water would be hauled away in
carts, but in fact twill flow away through
sewer pipes.
The location Of the filtration beds near
the city has been for several purposes one
of the chief Of which is the general desire
of the authorities to have filtered water de-
Hvered to consumers as soon as possible
after passing through the sand filter beds
1t is because Of that desire that the clear
water basin itself is made large enough to
contain a supply only for few hours
There is also danger of infiltration when
filtered water is conveyed long distances
IL conduits or distributing mains; there is
danger of a crevice in the pipe permitting
the entrance Of some communicating fluid
This danger would have been much greater
had the filtration plant been located above
Georgetown on the Conduit road
O. A