Evening star., 1902-03-08
REVISED WATER RENTS
Schedule Prepared by En-
gineer Commissioner.
CHANGES DESIGNATED
RELIEF OF BOARDING HOUSES
FROM EXTRA CHARGES.
Fixing Rates for Business Establish
ments-Provision for Intro
duction of Meters.

Col. John Biddle, the Engineer Commits
sicner, has approved and forwarded to his
associates of the District board a revised
schedule of water rents for the District Of
Columbia, to take effect July l next. The
revision Of the schedule was made by Cap
tain Chester Harding, assistant to the En-
gneer Commissioner, who has supervision
of the water department. The domestic
rates are not changed. The most important
change, as Captain Harding points out in a
letter Of explanation. is the relief of board
ing houses from the extra charge of so
cents per room over and above the regular
frontage and story rates. In recommend
ing the adoption of the revision, which
recommendation, it is stated, the District
board will approve, Captain Harding writes
as follows:
although 1t cannot be said that the pres
ent basis of charge for domestic purposes
bears any fixed relation to the actual con-
sumption of water, l do not recommend
any change therein, for the reason that 1t is
firmly established, and should not be
changed unless 4 more equitable basis is
substituted, and that it is obviously impos-
sible to prescribe any arbitrary basis OF
rates that will cause the consumer to pay
for the actual amount of water consumed.
The only way in which that desirable re-
suit could be accomplished would be to
meter all water services. Generally speak
ing. the amount of water consumed In any
premises will depend upon the number OF
individuals in the household and the num-
ber of fixtures in the house, but the con-
sumption will also vary with the type and
condition of the fixtures, and with the hab-
it's and employment of the occupants. Ger
tain tests made by the water department
develop the fact that during the period of
the tests the average consumption per
house Of a row of four-room houses, with
no fixtures except yard hydrants, exceeded
the consumption of any single unmetered
house service in the District.
Clause Cancelled.
"The most important amendment pro-
posed is the cancellation of the following
clause in the existing schedule:
Boarding, apartment and tenement
houses shall be charged at a rate in &C
cordance with the stories and front feet,
and in addition thereto fifty cents per an
mum for each and every room over and
above the number Of three rooms in said
boarding apartment or tenement house!
MY reasons for recommending that this
clause be abolished" continues Capt Har-
ding "are based upon the fact that under
it's provisions premises Of equal size Occu-
pied by an equal number Of persons and, in
all probability, consuming equal quantities
of water, may be charged different rates.
The special business rates under which this
clause is inserted are,in my opinion, intend
ed merely to cover the increased consump-
tion Of water reasonably inferred from the
ma ture of the business engaged in and are
not of the character of a tax or license for
carrying on the business. They are there
fore not properly extended to include the
sub-lettng of rooms, since the consumption
of water by the occupants of the rooms
Is independent Of their status as dodgers.
guests or members Of the household.
''As apartment houses and hotels are me-
tered, and as any regular boarding house
of sufficient size to justify it can be metered
Congress that The supply of water to all
manufacturing establishments, hotels, livery
stables and other places requiring a large
quantity shall be determined by meter
the greater part of the loss of revenue
to the water department., due to the
proposed omission. will arise from the re-
lief afforded those persons who occupy
their premises primarily as homes, and
who let few rooms for the purpose Of
assisting in the payment of rent 1t is in
such cases in particular that the clause in
question is in my judgment, open to just
criticism and complaint"
Text Of the Regulations.
Some of the other changes in the sched-
ule are in regard to fixing the rates for
business establishment SO that when wa
ter is consumed to the extent of $25 year.
the premises are to be metered. In full,
the revised regulations follow:
An act to confer upon the Commissioners
o. the District of Columbia certain powers,
duties and limitations contained in chapter
eight (water service) of the Revised Stat
utes of the United States relating to the
District Of Columbia, and for other pnr-
poses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives, Of the United States OF
America Congress assembled q
Commissioners Of the District of Columbia
shall have all the powers and be subject to
all the duties and limitations provided in
chapter eight of the Revised Statutes OF
the United States relating to the District
of Columbia, excepting such powers and
duties as belong to the chief of engineers,
provided, that water main taxes and water
rents shall be uniform In the said Dist rict.
The supply Of water to all manufactu uring
establishments, hotels, livery stables and
other places requiring a large quantity,
shall be determined by meters erected and
maintained at the expense of the consumer:
and the proper authorities shall charge and
collect for the quantity so determined at
price not to exceed 3 cents per hundred gal
Ions. Approved June 10, 1870.
Ordered: That under the authority vested
in the Commissioners Of the District of Co.
lumbia by the above recited act the follow
ing schedule of water rents is adopted, to
take effect on the 1st day of July 1902 and
will continue in force until otherwise or
dered.
Domestic Rates.
The rate for domestic purposes shall be
charged according to stories and front feet
On all tenements two stories high, with q
front width Of sixteen feet or less, s. 80 per
annum. For each additional front foot, or
fraction thereof. 25 cents.
Note. In cases where the frontage Of a
house is greater than the depth, the rent
will be based upon the less dimension.
In the case of houses situated on triang-
ular or irregular lots and having q 'front.'
age on two or more streets. the rent will
be based upon the mean depth or mean
frontage, depending upon which is less.
For each additional story or part thereof,
of the charges as computed above.
Note.-The word story shall be held to
include Easements. cellars and attics, used
or fitted out for use, for domestic purposes
The Meter Rates.
The rate to be charged for water sup
piled through meters shall be cents per
/ 600 gallons.
The supply of water shall be determined
by meter to all manufacturing establish
ments. hotels, swimming baths, bottling
establishments, gas tanks. railroad yards,
and wharves. and other places
requiring a large quantity, including all