Waterbury Democrat., 1901-11-11
WATER RENTS.
Some Talk of Encouragement
 of Prices For Consumers.
FACTORIES WANT REDUCTION.

Think They Are Paying Too Much--
 Those Who Use the Least Waier
 Pay Most Proportionately tho
 Small User is Also Taxed for the
 Use of Water Meter.
 Some of the factories about town think they are paying too much for water and are talking of re-arrange@ ment of prices which will let them ofr at considerable less cost. This is matter that has been under way fon some time past, but it is thought thar it will soon assume tangible shape lil the form of q united movement on the part of all of the shops. The presenr schedule of prices is as follows:
 For any purpose where the rate iS determined by the quantity used. where the average daily use is less than 300 gallons, for each 100 gallonss 5 cents.
 For the quantity in excess of 900 gallons, up to 2,000 gallons daily avs craze, for each 100 gallons, : cents.
 For the quantity in excess of 2,00Q gallons up to 10000 gallons daily ay- craze, for each 100 gallons, 1 cent.
 For the quantity in excess of 10000 gallons daily average such rates as shall be fixed by the commissioners, not less per 100 gallons than F q cent.
 Whenever 8 meter is used, if rate for use of water is less than S25.O0 per ans mum. the consumer shall be charged. as rent of the meter, ten per cent of tue cost thereof, in addition to the water rent
 From this it will be seen that there are four prices and that people who use small quantities of waiter get the worst end of the bargain. Many think that the commissioners should charge an uniform price for water to all consumers and contend that the re- suit of schedule of this kind would give the small consumers water 5t less than they are now paying while the big consumers would have to pay more. But any change ill the water rates which would lessen the receipts would be serious blow to the city, for the deficit would have to be made up in some other way and it needs no guess work to tell where it would come from. People would have for it ill increased taxation on real estate and most folks think their property is list> ed high enough at present. X revis- ion of rates such as some of the man. agers of the manufacturing concerns think they ought to have would lop off snug sum from the gross receipts unless the prices should be raised on consumers of small quantities and these, it would seem from the schedule, are paying enough now. Probably after the dam is raised and the city has an additional supply on hand, tho water board may be able to see it's way to strengthening out the difference without adding increased burdens upoH anybody, but it is extremely doubtful if the department will be able to re. duce the cost to large or small cons sumers, for while the city will have more water next year than it has at present, it should be borne ill mind that the expense will be increased bY about $125,OOO or $150.000 and natur- ally the public will expect the plant ty meet the added interest. Besides, there will be more demands made upon the water department next seasom than ever before, so that heavy con~ sumers will be fortunate if they caH get any more than they have been us- ing. even at the present rates. People on the outside districts want the water and are willing to pay handsomely ror it, and while this condition exists if is hard to see why the prices should ba expected to take a drop. Everybody wants cheaper water rates, but how they can get them and maintain the department is something nobody ap- pears to know. With water, the same as everything else those who buy jim large quantities get reduced rates, bud in the opinion of those who have given the subject some thought, the big cons sumers have less reason to compIaiu than the smaller ones.