Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-05

frontage. with the Idea Of improving II.
Anacostia River Front.
The Commissioners again invite attention
to the unsettled question OF the title to tho
water front along the Anacostia river or
Eastern branch, and request that leg.sll-
ton be had with view to determining tho
status of this property In a manner similar
to that which established the status OF ito
property along the Potomac river front
Water Revenues.
During the year 1.694 additional build
ings Were connected with the public wa
ter system. making total number of
buildings so connected 1225o The num-
Der or new meters installed during the
year was 176. making a total now in use
OF 2.lo4 Under an act of Congress meters
nave oeen purchased at cost of $65e
each, and steps are being taken to install
them In private residences In selecting
.ne residences in which to install these
meters the Commissioners picked out To-
caiitfes where there was a great variety
IN the classes OF residences, the object be-
ing 10 determine the amount of water used
with the Idea of comparing the cost of FUR
n.snine water at meter rates with rates
charged for similar residences under the
prevailing system of front feet and height
NO results have as yet been obtained
The per capita consumption and waste In
the District OF Columbia Is approximately
200 gallons a day. This. OF course, is a
checked In some way the expense of fur
nishfng this water when the new filtration
plant Is placed in operation will be very
large.
From investigations made by the Com
missioners. under authority of an appro-
priation made in the District of Columbia
appropriation act for the fiscal year 1898,
to determine the amount of water used By
the departments and offices of the United
states government In the District OF Co
lumbia. 1t was found that there was more
water used than seemed necessary. and let
tiers were addressed by the Commissioners
TO the heads OF these departments calling
attention to this fact and asking that econo-
my be exercised In such use, and particu-
larly that water be not used for condensa-
ton purposes. To prevent waste OF water
1t Is the practice of the Commissioners to
cause house to house inspection to be
made the District being divided Into sec
lions and an inspector being assigned to
each section. Where leaks are found
tees are served to repair them. and the
water rs cut on II such notice is not COM
piled with. During the year leaks Were
found in Is, 297 premises. By legislation at
the last session of Congress the law re-
garding the furnishing of free water TO
churches and charitable Institutions was
placed upon a more equitable basis. and
during the present fiscal year n number OF
such institutions have been allowed free
water.
Water Service.
During the year about 10 miles of new
water main were laid: 81 new fire MIGRANTS
and public hydrants were set The Trum-
bull street pumping station has been in
operation since September II. 1904. At this
station water Is pumped to all parts or
the city having an elevation of between 20
and 140 feet above tide. The old u street
pumping station will be abandoned during
the year and the machinery transferred 70
the Trumbull street station.
The Trumbull street pumping station Is
located just adjacent to the new filtration
plant. which has recently been put in
operation. The water is delivered from the
filtration beds to the station, from which It
is pumped to the different parts of the city.
The cost of pumping each 1000 gallons IS
s0.010I. The Reno and Brightwood reser-
voirs have been In continuous service dur
ing the year.
The Commissioners invite especial atten-
ton to the fact that the consumption of wa
ter In the District of Columbia is increas-
ing to such an extent that 1t now almost
reaches the capacity of the present con-
duit which brings water from Great Falls
to the city. The capacity of this conduit is
about 76.000,oO0 gallons per day, and the
average daily consumption Of water Is S..
10000 gallons During certain period or
the cold JASON last winter the consump-
ton exceeded the capacity of rhe conduit
and lowered the water in the reservoirs
five feet. 1t is thus apparent that the dan
ger of a shortage of water is a real and
pressing one. This danger of the consump-
with the present per capita rate Of con-
sumption. only by the construction of an
additional conduit from Great Falls to the
city. If this were begun at once a shortage
would occur before the completion. Even il
the rate of consumption is lowered the ad-
ditional conduit will have to be built at
some relatively close future date. and
survey, which has been estimated for by
the chief of engineers United States army,
for several years past and recommended by
the Commissioners. should be made at the
earliest practicable date.
This consumption and waste can, II Is
thought, be considerably lessened. without
depriving any consumer OF tho necessary
water for domestic purposes, by the install
lation of water meters. An appropriation
Of 5000 was made last year for the ex-
perimental installation of meters, and me-
tiers are now being installed. The Commits
sioners recommend that the balance from
the water income be permitted to be used
and a special appropriation Of 100000 be
made to purchase and install meters In pri-
vate houses This latter sum can be re-
paid gradually from funds of the water de-
partment, which, however, on account OF
the large amounts necessary Tor the eN-
tension of the high-service system. has not
funds now available. In this way meters
can be gradually installed. although II
would take several years to install them
throughout the District. The cost Will be
from $500 600 to $4,000, and the necessi-
ties of the situation demand some imme-
date action.
While the present system of mains dis
is at present fairly satisfactory. the limit
of capacity Of these mains and on some of
the services of the present pumping plant
will soon be reached. The following are
certain projected works of extending these
mains arranged in the order of their pres
ent Importance:
l. A gravity main from Sixth and 1
streets NV. to the Washington Barracks;
estimated cost, $4,000 1t will be neces-
sary to lay this main within a year II
present water pressures are to be kept up.
2 A force main from Trumbull street
pumping station to Woodley road and WIS
consin avenue to connect with main from
Reno reservoir; estimated cost $50, 900. The
present main this service is only II
inches in diameter, and the limit of its
capacity has nearly been reached This
service supplies Tenleytown, Takoma Park.
Petworth and the National Soldiers Home.
8. A new pump of 100000 gallons ca
pacity for the first high-servce system; es-
timated cost. S1Oo,0U0 AS this service sys-
tenn has no reservoir the full reserve
pacity must be maintained in the pumps.
The present consumption is up to the
pacity of one of the pumps now in service,
and as a pump of this size will require
about two years to build and install. it is
necessary that early steps be taken to pro-
vide extra capacity.
A. A main from the city to Anacostia and