Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-09-26
HINES ANSWER \
ON WATER METERS.
Superintendent Of Water Works
Replies to Protest Of Real
Estate Men
STATEMENT TO COMMITTEE,
Submit Arguments to Members Of the
City Council for Their Pcrusal
Pending Investigation.


IN answer to tho protest Of the salt
Lake Real Estate ASSOCIATION against
placing water meters IN the residence
portions OF the city as proposed by
supt Of Waiorworks Hines. that OH
ella! has submitted 10 the waterworks
committee Of the council the following
statement:
Referring TO the protest Of the Salt
Lake Real Estate association against
the proposed adoption Of water meters
for the resident district Of salt Lake
! would respectfully make answer as
follows, The protest states;
First The adoption Of the meter
system win In no wise solve the prob-
lem Of increasing The cltys water sup.
ply"
We do not claim that the use OF
meters win soye the problem Of in-
croaslng tho citys water supply, but
we do claim that the detection OF de-
fectlyo plumbing leuky faucets ana
wanton waste OF water viii decrease
the percaplia consumption 80 that We
VIII be able to supply a larEer number
Of consumers with the present supply
Second The cost OF purchasing, In
stalling and maintaining meters for
tho residence district win I'm n short
space ~ time total an amount sufii.
Client 10 purchase an the water rights
tributary to salt Lake.
The cost Of mcterlng the whole city
would be about $780, 600 aud The install
latlon OF meters could be- done gradu-
ally, say az the rate OF $40 900 per year
for five years The lie Of meter IN
reckoued at 20 years The consumers
could be charged the actual cost for
installation which would be u small
amount, together with q nominal rental
OF say 25c per quarter
"rhird The meter system Ia entirely
unreliable The association viii pro.
duce for your hon0rably body statistics
showing that many buildings IN the
city In which meters are M use have
the readings Of the same vary from 200
and 500 per cent per MONTH while the
amount OF water consumed Is virtually
unchanged
The readings Of meters certainly
vary but not while the amount Of
water consumed Is virtually the same.
Careful consumers viii SO watch their
meters that leak and defects are quick
~ detected and renedied 30 that varia-
tlonH are small, while one who pays no
attention 70 the meter may have a leak
for two or three weeks not detected
untll our meter reader visits the prem-
lsea about the last Of the month.
The water meter has passed the exc
perlmcntal stage and Is established as
a reliable and durable automatic reg
lstcr No running OF water all night
Is permitted by the user, aud leak
that formerly was given no attention.
Is promptly attended to by the user ms
the meter WIN register all water that
passes through u.
Fourth Where the water Is not
brought into the house the installation
" meter IN an outdoor or curb hy-
drant can only be accomplished by ex-
sessye expense"
The expense Of installing q meter at
he curb or out doors win average
about $3.50 II this excessive expenseg
Fifth n meters are installed IN the
residence district and citizens become
lmbued with the idea that every gal
lon of water they use Is to be mea-
sured, gardens. trees and lawns win
be- IN many cases, permitted TO PER-
sh for the want OF water and the nat.
ural beauty OF the city and the con-
'eQuent Value Of property win he
greatly Impaired
II citizens wish 10 preserve their gar
lens. trees and lawns they can do no
With a reasonable amount OF water for
which all good citizens VIII be willing
% pay Trees, gardens and lawns do
not require flooding or an excessive
mount Of water 20 keep them i'm
good and beautiful condition, but many
people think so to the detriment OF
heir more reasonable neighbors. II
Is not likely that any one would fore
20 the proper and necessary use OF
water when the cost 10 him is one cent
per hundred gallons, and by the water
meter system the community would be
rec from the otherwise inevitable and
more or less odlous house to house In.
spection
flNtNi ~ Al' 'NNi Ni meters must
n the long run be borne by the water
isers the adoption Of the proposed sys-
EN- viii ultimately be a great addition
u burden upon the tax payers
The decrease In cost OF water actual.
y used VIII be found TO be so great
hat The tax payers Will and It not a
great additional burden"
Seventh As agents and owners tho
members OF the real estate association
control at least one-half OF the prop.
rty within Salt Lake city therefore
he members feel that they are entitled
% some voice In the decision OF this
iery important question
While admitting that every citizen In
Untitled TO some voice IN this matter"
vc challenge the statement that the
eal estate association Is the owner or
controls one-half OF the property With
n Salt Lake city or anywhere near
hat amount
IN my report OF 1909, ] recommended
he meter system ! am fully aware OF
he unpopularlty OF such a recommen-
latlon In Salt Lake City as It mas been
n 1900 other cities where the meter
'yystem has been established. hlt /
ail to nnd anything but satisfaction
with the meter system where Il has
)een introduced