Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-27
Water Scientifically Tested.

provide for the supply is bound to be
somewhat strained.
Water Scientifically Tested
The committee, of course. tested the wa
ter to see how the filtration plant was
working with regard to bacteria. The re-
suit was gratifying. 1t was found that
~ per cent and fraction of the bacteria
were being removed. This was good
enough to practically eliminate the dam
ger of typhoid infection from the city wa
ter. 1t did not mean. of course that it
would stamp out typhoid in Washington.
because there are other sources OF mice
ton to which the people, or at least
portion OF them, are exposed. But 1t was
quite as good work as could be expected
from a municipal filtration plant.
II was found, however, it is declared,
that the capacity of the filter beds was
being taxed to it's utmost The storage and
settling reservoirs. which were supposed to
hold ten or twelve days water supply, were-i
not capable of holding more than three and
a half or four. This was easily explained. /
The storage capacity of the reservoirs is
theoretically about 600,Gl0,G00 gallons before
the water is turned into the Howard BASIN |
whence it flows to the beds. But the set
Ting reservoirs have been in use about
fifty years with, so far as the committee
has learned. almost no cleaning, ard the
silt has deposited in them till their capacity
is reduced about oue-third Any one who
knows Potomac water at its worst would
be rather surprised that they had not filed
up altogether.
OF course to get the best results from
a filter plant. the water should be allowed |
to settle and clear itself naturally as much |
possible before II is turned on the beds. |
But with the limited storage capacity, this. |
1t Is stated. is not possible. The water has |
to be turned on in bad weather while il is |
still very muddy. The result IS that even |
the filtered water IS not perfectly Gear |
as it should be, while the percentage OF |
bacteria naturally rises. 1t is regarded as !
certain that with the normal growth OF |
Washington the filtration plant will I'm a |
few years be taxed beyond its capacity, il |
the present rate of water consumption Is |
kept up and the storage basins not cleaned |
out 10 allow longer time for settling
Abnormal Consumption.
Then as 10 the abnormal consumption of !
water in Washington. The calculated sup |
ply in most continental cities is forty or |
fifty gallons per capital per day. This is |
considered rather generous supply. |
America with water, as with most things, |
IS more liberal or more extravagant and |
the normal consumption here is placed at |
about 100 gallons per day. But in Wash |
ington Il was found that the consumption |
for each man. woman and child in the city /
was between 226 and 30 gallons. This was |
regarded as an indication that there was |
criminal waste going on somewhere
The committee has not Yet settled entire
" to its own satisfaction where the greatest |
responsibility lies. But it is thought to be |
in the private household IeakY snfpnts [
are responsible for part but for oniy - |
small part, of the waste. 1t is thought that |
more waste can be laid at the doors OF Tho
modern plumbing. which is remarkably |
llabIe 10 get out of order and work over |
time. An instance Is cited of one apartment |
house where there were modern sanitary
fixtures and where several of the closets
that used ten gallons of water at each flush
We're working automatically and flushing
themselves about every ten or fifteen min
utes 1880
Then, too. there is the waste of water that
Is sure 10 come with every hard winter |
Practically every one lets water run thronpb |
the spigots TO keep the pipes from freezing
ana In long stretch of very cold weather
the main conduit leading To the cit, cor
barely keep up with the strain ON II Tba
situation is brought almost to the verge ~ |
real water famine. and what that would /
mean IN city like Washington It is easy to |
see. -
Use of Water Meters Predicted.
The mater meter. the committee thinks. |
Is sure to come. The members who have |
Investigated II give the comforting assur- |
ahee that II will allow the use of quite as |
much water as a family has any right to. |
out beyond that II VIII call a halt The |
price is three cents a thousand pallops |
and at this rate, with a minimum charge 81 |
$50 year for each house. the water bill |
Ia most families would not be as much as
is now. But the mere fact that there |
is meter keeping tab on the water used |
makes the householder more careful. II Is |
argued, and II he gets to using water ex- |
travagantly, the meter records the fact and |
he has TO foot the bill accordingly
The District Commissioners already have |
the right to compel the installation of wa
ter meters In certain classes of houses |
The way the meters work was shown re- |
Gently in the case OF one apartment house |
under the observation OF the committee
me house had been running along on a wa 4
ter bill of about 50. This suddenly jumped |
to 50, and the owner started out to find |
the reason. Some OF the modern plumbing |
fixtures We're wasting the drinking fluid |