Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-17
WASTE OF WATER
Special Report by Colonel
s. s. Leach.
DURING COLD SPELL
RESERVOIRS WERE LARGELY
DRAWN UPON.
A Water Famine Might Have Been
Possible-Was Beyond Filtration
Plants Capacity.

The large increase in the consumption
and waste of the water supply of this city
during the cold weather is the subject of a
special report by Col. s. s. Leach, the Of
ficer in charge of the Washington aqueduct,
to General Mackenzie, chief of engineers
ut becomes my duty" says Colonel
Leach, ito invite attention in the most en-
phatic manner possible to the situation OF
the water supply of this city during the
period of cold weather from January 70 to
February % last. Observations and ex-
periments made at various times for sew
eral years past have enabled the discharge
of the conduit under varying conditions of
head to be closely estimated. The areas of
the Georgetown and city reservoirs are
known, and their loss or gain in capacity
for a given fall or rise of surface Is read
lily ascertained. The quantity of water de-
Iiyered into the distribution system in any
given time is equal to the discharge through
the conduit in the same time, Plus the loss
or minus the gain in these two reservoirs
in that time. On this principle the ioliow-
ing table has been constructed, showing the
quantities of water used and wasted by tue
water takers of this city between the dates
above named. For each day the miiii IIuLa
tarnnerature at Great Falls is given. tftere
is given tabular statement OF the oally
consumption and waste during the perloo
stated and also the minimum tempera-
tiOns)
Reservoirs Drawn Upon.
..1t will be noted from this table says
Colonel Leach that on account Oh the oe-
nletion of head in the reservoirs the con-
duit was able to discharge as much as 10
900 900 gallons in "a hours, or, in rouno
numbers, 81. 100000 gallons. 1t will be no.
ticed also that in addition to the discharge
through the conduit the. reservoirs We're
drawn upon on one OCCASION 10 the extent
of 10 900 900 gallons in tWenty-1our houiSs
and on several occasions to the extent ot
: ODe coo or more in a like period. The last
column of the table, showing the total con
sumption and waste in gallons. SHOWS thd'
on one date, the 10th of February, the wa
ter takers of the District used and wasted
lO3 100 600 gallons; another date, the itn
of February 101, 100000 gallons; or four,
teen other days during the period lndlcateo
between 10000. 0G0 and 100, OOO,00O gallons.
Had the cold weather been of longer dura-
ton the amount of waste would relatively
have increased, the reservoirs would nave
been further depleted and shortage Oh
water would have impended.
In Excess of Filtration Plants Capacity
This matter derives added Importance
from the fact that the consumption ana
waste shown in the table is considerably
in excess of the capacity of the filter plant.
The beds are designed for maximum ca
pacity of 75,O0O,0O0 gallons. For short
time they might be forced to higher rate,
but it would be at a sacrifice of efficiency
and consequently with dimlnutIon IN the
purity of the effluent. With the reservoir
drawn down, as must be the case in order
that the aqueduct may keep up this ex-
cessive supply, the lift of the pumps in
the new pumping station IS so increased
that the total capacity of the three pumps
will not be equal 10 the maximum con-
sumption and waste shown IN the table;
and this capacity cannot be increased.
1.-The conclusion is plain that to permit
a recurrence of these conditions after the
filter plant is put into operation involves
the responsibility not only for the shortage
of supply above indcated but also the far
greater responsibility for a deliberate re-
pollution of the purified supply by the in
PRODUCTION of unfiltered water into the
MAINS
Clear During February.
Although not so stated in the report, it is
generally accepted as a fact that the
largely increased rate of consumption and
waste in the winter time is due to the gen.
eral practice of some housekeepers to al
low the water to run all night in order to
prevent it freezing in the pipes In view or
the present muddy condition of the Poto-
mac water it is hard to realize that the
water was perfectly clear every day during
the month of February. At least that is the
statement contained in the official report of
the operations of the Washington aqueduct
during the month Of February.
In a supplemental report Colonial Leach
reports that the work of excavation and
embankment continues with good results at
the filtration plant, and that the new oper
atoms include concrete work on the vault
ing of beds 13 and IA. the laying of brick
On regulator houses 2 and 4, excavation
for foundations of shelter house and office
and the laying Of cast7iron pipes.