New-York tribune., 1903-04-07
CITY LOSING $1,000, 900.
MORE METERS NEEDED.
Col. Monroe Says Wealthy DO Not
Pan Their Share of Water Rates.

Colonel Robert Grier Monroe Commissioner
of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity. in a state
ment yesterday said that the city now los
ing in Manhattan and The Bronx from water
running to waste in eaky fixtures 81 100000 a
year Like his report last fall on water waste
the statement yesterday bristled with interest
ing data concerning the consumption OF water
in various districts mapped out by the Water
Department. Commissioner Monroe argues for
the passage of the Morgan bill, requiring the
purchase by the city of a larger number of
meters and asserts that the meters will pay for
themselves in one year.
Besides measuring the flow of water into the
various districts the Commissioner sent en-
gineers into the sewers to measure the flow of
water it entered them. large force of men
was sent through the buildings in the lower
part of the city to measure the amount of water
that is running to waste from leaky faucets and
other fixtures. but the waste measurements do
not include water that is allowed to run from
overhowing tanks or leaks from mains under
ground The report says, in part:
District No. 3. bounded by Grand-st East River.
Market and Division sts-. typical East Side tene-
house section. has lSS acres and $1,000 people.
according to the United States census but there are
many boarders in the tenement houses who are
flow of water in twentyfour hours is 100000 gall
Ions Nine hundred and forty thousand gallons.
or II per cent of this flow is metered Six hundred
and seventy-two thousand five hundred gallons. or
ming from leaky fixtures The metered
per capita consumption in that district, based on
the resident population. is about forty gallons.
The general per capita consumption unmetered. and
6sIe No is h sTy bs Ta6& gaGRs bounded by
hundred and forty -secondst. Southern Boulevard
and Alexander and Willis aves., contains large
number of moderate priced apartment houses and
is Ia acres in area. The average consumption is
| about ffty-four gallons day Nineteen per cent
| of the water is running to waste from leaky fix
In District No. e. Manhattan bounded by Ninety
sXth-st. Broadway. Eighty-sixth-st and Riverside
Drive. apartment house district. Il per cent OF
! the water is running TO waste from leaky fixtures
| The per capita consumption is about seventy-hve
In District No S. below FuIton-st.. with an area
of go acres the average daily flow is 945000 gal
! Ions. The records of the Meter Department ac-
count for but % per cent Of this 90 flow We 81 should M
| water consumed in that district by meters. as al
certain buildings in which meters were installed
and which stood upon the books of the department
| found The leakage in this district that could
detect was comparatlyeiy 5naiiIonIy . per cent:
| Broadway. Seventy-second-st. and Riverside Drive
including large apartment houses and handsome
residences the per capita consumption is 154 gal
| Ions a day. The waste through leaky fixtures is
| and the revenue returned from this district is
smaller in proportion than any district except the
This clearly Indicates that the people living in
| large and handsome apartment houses and in the
most expensive residences do not pay their fair pro-
portion of water rates under the existing law
| Mr.. Cole. the inventor Of the measuring instru
| ment that has been used and Mr.. HILL the CHIEF
| engineer of the department say that at least
81 10000 gallons II per cent of our Croton water
| is running waste daily from leaky fixtures in
| houses. Our experience would indicate that tht
greatest waste is from the service pipes and con
| nections between the mains and the houses, rather
| than in the mains themselves.
Now. what this examination does show Is that
the most important matter before this department
! at this time get least partial control OF
the water system. This only be done by con
slant watchfulness and constant inspection. coupled
with further extension of the use of meters
| One important mechanical step has already peer peer
| taken. Instead of making the house connection
| with
| ed the system of extending the connection aiway:
| put in by the department from the main TO the
| curb and at that point providing valve con
nection for the house service under control OF tn
| department.