Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-10
Meters on Many Service Save Money
to the Owner Over the Old Rates in
Effect for Years-Waste Of Nine and
Ten Times Normal Consumption
Sometimes Saved.

lZe the amount that mas Deen thOuSnt-
lessly allowed to waste thru their own
service pipes and then computed the
amount thus wasted thru thousand
such services have seen the need of re-
forms, but no one has dreamed Of the
situation revealed by a few circum-
stances which have come to the atten-
ton Of the water department. in two
months Of experience with meters. The
following cases are taken from re-
port furnished by the city clerk:
AT the home OF DR.. G. w. Harris a
meter was installed and in the first
month it registered 13S,450 gallons
which, even at manufacturers rates,
would have cost him over IS per month.
A complaint was made and the super
tntendent OF water mains investigated.
A half-inch stream OF water was found
running constantly in the water closet,
which was stopped by repairs to the
plumbing. This house service at the
utmost should not have run over 5000
gallons thru the meter in the four
weeks, but It was consuming $4,000,
and no one knows how long this has
been going on.
Mr.. ]. N. Baughman installed me-
ter upon his livery harm service. The
first month it registered cost Of 1854,
more than that Of four ordinary livery
barns combined. A plumber found a
leak and the next month the water cost
was less than IS.
George p. Powers meter upon his
house service registered consumption
of 61S gallons per day for the week from
Dec. 81 to Jan. 6. A leak was repaired
in closet and the consumption of water
reduced to 1913 gallons per day from
Jan. to Jan. & or a cost Of $1.10 per
month, and Mr.. Powers keeps horse
and several cows. His fiat rate for
years has been about $1.25 per month
without hose service.
The meter on the house service at the
DR.. w. B. Kibbey home also cut up
some startling capers. It began by reg
lstering $500 gallons per day. which II
kept up would have rivaled the DR..
Harris meter and would have run up
water charge OF $96 per year even at
manufacturers rates, but leak in the
closet was found and stopped and since
then the meter has been registering at
the rate Of an annual cost of $500 per
year. DR.. Kibbey has paid for years at
the rate Of $11 without the hose charge,
and is now saving $3.50 year on his
water rent over the rates of the old
ordinance.
These are Instances of a waste Of
water going on at the rate Of nine and
ten times the normal consumption of
water. They are extreme cases, of
course, but II meters were installed on
every private sarvice in town 1t is like
" that the saving in water consump-
ton would prove marvellous. A mem
Der Of the water committee of the coun-
ell predicted when the new ordinance
was drawn that the meters would
eventually save the city one-half the
water 1t was then pumping or q sensa-
fional disclosure Of services in opera
ton for which nothing was paid would
have to result. But this is not all that
has been learned about the meters.
Even where no leaks nre to be discov-
cred they are working economies to the
citizens.
Mr.. A. e. Wilbur, living in fourteen
room house with a family of ten per-
sons enjoying the conveniences of am
pie water services, two bath rooms,
years past $25 per year water rent ex-
elusive of hose. The change from a
faucet basis to room basis for fiat
rates would have raised his tax for SO
large house and he installed meter.
Readings by the water department
show his meter to be registering at the
rate Of $3.50 per year, OR a saving of
$3.50, IS per cent, over the rates In
force for years past.
The Marshall Printing Company and
the Times Republican which are In one
service, have paid in years past $50 per
year, with from thirty-fiye to fifty
people employed in the building, steam
boilers, molten metal casting boxes
cooled by water, etc. The meter Is
registering an annual cost of $500. The
fiat rates of the new ordinance would
amount to $107.60 annually.
George McNeely promptly installed a
meter to avoid the new ordinances
room basis charge for his large home
and two months experience shows an
annual meter 1\te cost Of $7.45, when
he has always paid under the old rates
$11 per year, exclusive OF hose. He
saves 1886 per year.
F. L. Meeker's new house Is provided
with two closets and his fat rate charge
has heretofore been $l4 per year under
the old ordinance. The meter for two
months has registered at the rate of
an annual charge Of 1922. The saving
is SI6S.
j. F. Meeker's meter Is saving him
only 20 cents per year over the old
rates. he having paid formerly $14 per
year, exclusive of hose, but there is a
possibility that some abnormal cause
has resulted In an unusual use of water
during the two months.
J, p. Woodbury., with extra water
conveniences, has been paying $15 per
year, exclusive of hose, prior to the new
ordinance. His meter for two months
has been registering at the rate of
1880, a small saving Of $1.20 per an
mum.
A. T. Orchards water rent has here
tofore been $11 per year, exclusive of
hose I. His meter for TWO months shows
that he has been using water at the
{ rate of $6.72 per year. q saving of $4.2S.
Chris Wetzstein's fine residence on
First street. with all its water conyeni-