Evening star., 1902-01-17
Cost Might Be Paid Out Of the
Water Fund.
GOVERNMENT TO ADVANCE MONEY
Could Easily Be Paid Back in
Twenty Years.
EXPENDII URES NNED

nave DeeH Uldue IO SIldDle the DlStTfCl ~
meet It's current expenditures and at the
same time to provide for the contemplated
extraordinary projects of improvements is
one to the effect that the cost of the filtra-
tion plant be paid from the separately con-
stituted water fund. and not from the gen.
eral revenues of the District. as at present
cont emplated. Each year the water reve-
nues of the District are far in excess of the
expenses of the water department. Under
special provision of law. antedating the
compact of 1875" the water fund is sep
arately maintained and the revenues de-
rived from water rents may not be applied
outside of the water department. The sur
plus has each year been applied to the ex-
tension of water system, especially the high
service system. This work Is at present at
its height and it Is stated that the con-
tracts that have been let In connection with
1t will not only consume the surplus for
several years to come, but will also wipe
out the balance which has accumulated in
the treasury.
1t is held by a great many people who
have given the subject thought and study
that the cost of the filtration plant might
properly be charged against the water
fund. 1t Is further held, with seemingly
good reason that this cost could easily be
met by distributing the grand total in in
stdDments extending over the next twenty
or twenty-five years. / Is claimed that
Congress should make some such provision,
advancing the money necessary for the
plant from the treasury and allowing a
gradual refund to be made from the water
revenues. In placing the cost of the filter
project on the water fund there is no
thought Of nor would there be any ground,
it is declared, for raising the schedule of
water rents from the present fixed stand
ard
Opinion of Water Department Omc iaIs
The water department officials, while
claiming that to place the cost of the hl-
tratton plant on the water fund at the
present time would seriously interfere with
the Improvement in the water service ex-
pected from the completion of the Hoxie
tunnel. the Washington city reservoir and
the Trumbull street pumping station che
latter now under construction) yet in ten
years time practically all of the extensive
improvements now contemplated will have
been completed, and that then the water
fund may be In condition to take up the
burden of the filtration plant. If the first
installment Were made payable ten years
from the date of the advance for finishing
the plant, the water fund would undoubteG-
ly be able to wipe out the Indebtedness in
from ten to fifteen years. Thus the loan
would not continue longer than the twenty
or twenty-five years, as indicated above.
1t IS stated that it is entirely right
and proper that such space of time should
be allowed for the repayment of this char
acter of loan. The filtration of Potomac
water is of such vast Importance to the
people of the capital city the project
should not be permitted to wait longer, but
should be pushed through to early compile
tion. BY following the course suggested
that of advancing the money from the
treasury and charging it to the water fund
1or repayment in installments, the first of
which shall be paid in ten years, the FL
tratfon could be provided in the immediate
future and the cost of the improvement
would not be felt by the people nor be a
burden upon the already overtaxed general
revenues of the District.
III IS estimated that the cost of complet-
ing the hltration plant is 81 ,766, ,277. 80. The
annual cost of maintenance will vary dur
ing the next ten years from about S24 ,3:l3
TO SS6,JOO as the consumption and waste of
water increases The present consumption
ana waste of water is a little more tnan
So,WO,W0 gallons a day 1t is estimated
that within the next ten years this may in
crease to 100000 gallons daily The cost
OF maintaining the filtration plant if t be
charged to the water fund at all, will not
De such as to interfere with the usual ar
nual surplus, because the revenues are
steadily increasing each year.
Healthy Condition of Fund.
To show the very healthy condition of
the water fund it may be stated that the
total revenues of the water department for
the year ending June 80 last were $780,
l2Zl3. The actual net expenses of the de-
partment were but s115.63S.61. leaving ,
surplus of S25i. .0S3.54 OF this surpluS
sum of slI6,64S.4T was expended in .ine III.
tension OF the high-service sySs>n hrins,
ing the total expenditures 81 oiins
to S291,6S1.0S. The balaC- 80 M nc 'eal ut
was deposited in the ~ as,,ry 70 ~ 81, o,p.i,
OF the water fund. >hat baIanca hsinr, ir'
'sssd ,esss from ny wy ,4s1, where it stood july
2o Icoi ,922.oI. where it stood June
Gt t' ''!~ last report.
vi tn' total revenues of the water de.
ent during the year the sum of 1903
S'' IL was derived from water rents 1t is
estimated that the water rents for the cur
rent ilScal year will amount to S315OOO and
that for the fiscal year 19O; they Will
amount to $4,000. The other sources OF
revenue to the department are water main
assessments. permits. making taps to mains
ana putting in stopcocks.
Each year Congress Is asked to set aside
portion of the surplus in the water fund
Tor the extension of the high-service sys-
tenn The high-service system means an
of that territory which is not supplied bv
gravity from the Georgetown distributing
reservoir. Washington is gradually spread
ing out on the hill tops surrounding the
original bounds of the city and II is neces-
sary for the water serv,ce To keen naca
With the improvep>nts that are being
made Much Of .ne high-service territory
now oeins Supplied from the Washing
ton city rseryoir near the Howard Uni
yerstty. Other sections have to he supnIied
fro'S the Brightwood and Reno reservoirs
10 which the water must be pumped
IL IS stated that the water fund Is lust
now taxed to its utmost, as during the
present year contracts calling for an ex-
penditure of more than 100000 above cur
rent expenses have been let. These con-
tracts. as stated. will not only wipe out
the balance of more than $500 900 to the
credit of the water fund the 1st of last
July. out mas necessitated the estimate of
S20o!HD loan to Congress, to be repaid
from the water fund as early as possible
Extraordinary Expenditure Now,
The extraordinary expenditures of the
water department for the current year arc
brought about by tn. completion of the
Hoxie tunnS, and the Washington city res
erYo!I. To properly distribute the water
which has thus been placed at the disposal
OF the District. and to give the service re-
quired by the citizens. will require the
outlay OF the amount already indicated a nd
the extension Of the big trunk mains at a
cost which, 1t IS estimated. will consume
the water surplus for several years tc
come. ~
The main item CT expense now to no ma,
Is the Trumbull street pumping statIor
and the machinery necessary to eouip n
The TrumbuI street station is aaiacert r.
the new reservoir and will pump the wate,
from that point to the BrightWood am