Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-27

proper vigor. 1t is contended, among other
things. that the annual waste Of water In
the winter by householders who fear the
freezing OF their pipes is extravaganza
that Is not warranted. There are few
houses in the District. engineers familiar
with them state. where the water would
freeze In the pipes. IL freezing temperature
was maintained six months at time. 1t
IL also asserted by engineer officers that
there Is no reason why the -partment OF
building inspection should not require wa
ter pipes to be so placed that the heating
OF the house would heat them, or that Icy
should be insulated against the cold wealth
er, both of which regulations could be
easily enforced without additional expense
to the householder under almost any form
Of construction.
Tracing Water Waste to Source.
The wasting Of water, it is claimed, could
be traced to its source and the pressure at
the points where the greatest waste occurs
could be reduced. This would. of course.
reduce the amount of water wasted and cut
down the total consumption.
Engineer oulcers who nave had charge OF
water works do not favor the cutting off of
the supply as penalty for wasting. They
do favor the cutting down of the pressure,
however. In addition to the alleged half
hearted prosecution of water MASTERS, 1t Is
claimed that in the regarding Of streets the
District authorities do not take the proper
care of water mains, and that in some
cases where street levels are lowered the
water mains are left in their old positions.
In some instances mains have been found
fourteen inches from the surface In posi-
uonr that practically invite freezing in the
mains 1t is declared that proper super
vision of the water supply would require
that more care should be taken in such in
stances so that when street grades are low
cred the pipes could be lowered beyond the
frost levels
In connection with the condition of the
aqueduct, which Col. Leach mentions in
his reports, engineers have been asking for
the construction of a new aqueduct for
many years past. The one which now fur
niShes the District with it's only means of
supply has many vulnerable points, al
though 1t is in very good condition when
is mode of construction, its age and long
use is taken into consideration. The rec
on mendation for aQueduct is re-
newed in Col. Leach's report this year
The District View.
In discussing the situation recently Com
missioner Mcfarland referred to volume
XIII of the Reports and Documents Re
lating to the District of Columbia from the
records of the third session of the Fifty
eighth Congress- calling attention to the
statement made by Col. Leach. the engineer
in charge. In response to questions pro-
pounded by Representative James T. Nc
Cleary, chairman of the House subcommit-
tee on appropriations for the District. Ac-
cording to this statement, Col. Leach esti-
mates the average daily consumption of
water in the District of Columbia at co.
100000 to 65.OOO,000 gallons. as compared
with an average of from 100000 to 1OO.-
100000, the average daily quantity used be-
tween January % and February IS last. AS
shown by Col. Leach, the conduit in one
day, February Z, discharged much as
100000 gallons of water-this record
being possible account of the CORE
spondngly enormous consumption. This
one statement of fact, ii is claimed, indi-
Gates that the conduit pour into the
city of Washington much water as is
drawn out, and that, consequently, the
danger of passing the limits of available
supply does not lie in the capacity or lack
of capacity.
There will eventually be Twenty-Five filter
beds in the filtration plant, and 1t has been
shown that even under normal conditions
the Districts available supply of pure wa
ter should never be less than 1O1, 5OO, 600 gal
Ions while with each bed working at high
pI essure, it is claimed, a total of 145, OOO,ooO
gallons of filtered water could be sent
through the mains. Fifteen of these beds,
It is supposed. will be ready for service
to the limit. should be able to exceed the
average daily consumption. More beds will
be added to the plant fast completed
until December l. when it is estimated that
tweuty-four will be in operation.
This exposition of the excess of the sup
ply over the consumption. of course, does
rot eliminate the necessity of controlling
the waste of water which all authorities
declare to be excessive. Commissioner Mac
farland said today: II am inclined TO think
that much Of the waste is due to leaks in
the old mains or in the conduit between
here and Great Falls"