The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-21
TALK OF CHANGE.
Council May Force Water Con-
sumers to Meter Rate.
Also Talking of Increasing the
Minimum Charge.
WILL CAUSE TROUBLE.
The People Expect Cheaper Not
Bearer Water.
Figures to Show How Meter
Plan Works.
WILL CAUSE TROUBLE

The sentiment of the city council ap-
pears to be in favor of the elimination
of the flat rate and the installation of
an entire meter service in the control
of the waterworks. The board of trus-
tees will have this matter in charge
but no doubt will receive their cue for
action from the city council. There are
about $500 services in the city at the
present time of which 1000 are on a fiat
rate. To completely place this on a me-
ter service will cost in round numbers
$4,000. The meters cost each $40 apiece
and the further cost of installation
change from a fiat rate to a meter rate
cannot be done within a short time on
account of this item of expens. 1t will
have to be installed gradually and over
a period of years as the receipts war
rant
Superintendent Shaw of the water
works plant advises also the elimination
of the fiat rate. He said this morning:
Il think that the meters should be in
stalled gradually. One method might be
followed such as is now being followed
and has been in the past by the COM
pany; that is, every business block is
placed on the meter service as soon as
1t is erected and whenever change is
made in the water service by a patron
to introduce meter In this way you
will gradually work towards the meter
idea
Another feature which will probably
be introduced is the increase in the
minimum rate charged for a meter ser
vice. AT present the minimum charge
exacted is 25 cents per month. It is
claimed that it costs practically this
sum to inspect the meters, charges for
collection and the incidental boOkkeep-
ing. not to speak of the water which
has been furnished. The minimum
charge according to Superintendent
Shaw exacted in other cities is from so
cents to rs.
Councilman Howe has the report in a
change from fiat rate to meter service
in the plants at Cleveland and Column
bus, Ohio, and Flint, Michigan. At
Cleveland the plant has passed recently
into the hands of the city. At that place
in 1901 the city had $40 meters in SER
vice, in 1902 IL 099, in October, 1903, 21,-
900 meters out of $4,000 connections in
February, 1904, $4,000 meters were in
service. 1t is expected that the entire
system will be on a meter basis by 1906
or 1907. From 1891 to 1901 the popula-
ton of the city increased Al per cent
while the pumpage had to be increased
$50 per cent to meet the demand In
1903 though the population had still fur
Their increased the effect of the aSGption
Of the meter service became noticeable. !
leading to a reduction in the first three
months of IL per cent of the pumpage
of 1900. The consumption in 1901 per
capita was 169 gallons, in 1903 las gal
Ions. The receipts to the city have been
increased, water is saved and meters
are proving popular. The cost to the
city for the maintenance of the meter
service is about so cents each per year.
At Columbus, of the same state, after
Sc per cent of the service was on a
meter basis leaving 43 per cent on fiat
rate the pumpage decreased 5000, 600
gallons per day and receipts increased
20 per cent. A deposit collection is re-
quired in meter service and a payment
in advance on a fiat rate.
At Flint, Michigan, in 1893 there were
700 services and the plant was furnish |
ing 1,409, 900 gallons, the cost for fuel
for maintaining this amount of pump
ing capacity was at a rate per year of
$4.69 per tap Four years afterward |
there was an increase in the number of |
services, there being 992 taps, 8S6 of
which were on a meter service. In 1897 |
at which time this situation was in eff |
feet the pumpage had decreased to $685. |
900 gallons while the fuel bill per tap |
or in the neighborhood of $500.
The city council can well afford to /
go slow in this matter. If by estab-
fishing a meter rate the people will I
have to pay more for their water than
they have been paying they will nat
urally be Disguised with city owner
ship. gvhe raising of the minimum
There has been a long standing
that the people of Topeka
have been paying too much for water
and because of this they voted for city
ownership. Now if the cost of water
is to be increased as the first move
rnder CITY ownership the water con-
sumers will have good cause to pro-
test and protest hard.
The figures show that the water
plant has been a good paying PROPOSE
fion. Why should the city be grasp
ing at the start at least2
1 ~o1oneI,s Waterloo.