Idaho Springs siftings., 1903-07-11
The Waste Of Water.
Drastic Measures to be Pur=
sued by the City to Insure
Justice and Safety.

week sent out supplemental water notices
to consumers, limiting the hours still
further for sprinkling lawns to people
living east of 9th avenue, and extending
the morning hours to those living west of
that point This is in accordance with the
instructions given the superintendent at
the regular meeting of the city aldermen
last week.
AT that meeting, as we stated in last
Saturdays Siftings, the alarming scarcity,
or the gross misuse, of city water was
exhaustivelv discussed. 1t appears that
normally, even with the Chicago creek
pipe line entirely cut off, there would be a
suficiency OF water for domestic, irriga-
tion and limited power purposes, at the
same time warranting protection i'll cases
of fires: but there seems to be a Needless
ness upon the part of mill men and others
using water for stamps, cooling compress
ors, etc. which combined with a too liberal
use for irrigation renders the system in the
upper part of the city of little value. AS
Alderman Moscript and City Attorney
COLON complained, at times there is not
enough OF a stream from the faucets to
wash ones face. This is certainly a prob
lem to be properly and energetically met.
The notices sent out this week are the
first step, but we are informed measures
will not stop here. Mill men and others
renting water for stamps or cooling pur-
poses from the city, especially those
who are known to have abused the privi-
1ege, will be notified that they will here
after have to look elsewhere than to the
city supply. This drastic remedy is only
adopted after due consideration and a
thorough canvassing of ways and means.
A happy medium, however was sug-
gested at the meeting of the board by Mr..
Christensen, chairman of the committee.
He stated that the committee thought the
adoption of the meter system by large
users of water would perhaps do away
with much of the waste. Under this
plan, large users of water would be COM
PEELED to purchase and maintain meters
and pay so much per thousand gallons.
This would compel people, through their
pockets, to be economical in the quantity
used. 1t is possible that such plan may
eventually be adopted and thereby help
swell the city revenues.
The city fathers wish to impress upon
all our citizens, whether large or small
users, the urgent need of economy i'll irri-
cation and other uses of water. All leak
ages should be stopped, all superfuous
irrigation dispensed with or at least con-
fined to the hours named i'll the notices
sent out. Of course, there are lawns that
can be as we'll irrigated i'll a few minutes
as in several hours, and in such cases the
city fathers leave the matter to the public
spirit of the property owner. There is a
limit to the water supply, and if it be
pressed too far a confagration might start
and sweep through large sections of the
city. This is a contingency that should
not be lightly passed by.
The repairing and relaying of the line
to Devil s-canon, four miles in length, will
occupy some time. The preparatory work
is being done now-then will come the
laying and covering of the pipe. 1t is
estimated that the latter will occupy about
eight days. The superintendent of the
work, Mr.. Brandstetter, was instructed
by the mayor that during the season of
pipe laying arrangements should be made
for the conduct of water every night into
the city reservoirs. This will be difficult