Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-18
FOR A NEW CONDUIT
TO BE RECOMMENDED TO CON
GREss BY COMMISSIONERS.

Is the District of Columbia on the verge
of water famine?
This is one of the questions which will
be given most careful consideration in the
report OF the Commissioners to the next
Congress, and the District authorities
will join the officials of the Engineer Corps,
U. s. A, in earnestly recommending an
appropriation for preliminary survey
looking toward the construction of a new
conduit from Great Falls, to connect with
the city distribution system. At the pres
ent time the daily consumption of water
averages about GS. 900. 600 gallons. and COM
parson with hgures of other recent years
shows that the quantities of water used
have increased in nearly exact ratio with
the growth in population. incidentally it
has been stated by the United States en-
gineers in charge of the supply system that
the great quantities of water were being
wasted by thoughtless citizens of the city,
and this statement was so far proven to
be correct that the District authorities long
ago inaugurated means to check the need
less consumption.
Under authority of an appropriation of
5000 by Congress the water department
at the beginning OF the present fiscal year
started to install water meters in resi-
dences in all sections of the city, hoping
by results attained to be able to determine
approximately what proportion of water
how much is wasted. An additional and
larger appropriation will be sought from
the next Congress to enable the depart
ment to continue the installation of meters.
Beset With Difficulties.
AS it stands now. the problem of provd-
ing an improvement to the water system
which shall be Of a permanent nature is
one fraught with many difficulties. In the
first place, it can only be surmised what
effect the advocacy of another conduit will
have upon the proposition, which is also
meeting with much favor, of having the
entire system turned over to the District
If Congress should authorize the construc-
ton of a new conduit, or any work looking
to that end, such work would necessarily
be paid for one-half by the District and
one-half by the United States instead of
wholly by the United States. as was the
conduit now in use, and If the District
should aid in payment for such an ex-
traordinary Improvement il is but natural
that some voice In the control should lie
in the local engineering department
In discussing the whole problem this
morning Col. John BIddie, Engineer Com
missioner of the District said:
Col Biddle's Views.
I'm the Commissioners report to Com
gress, now in course of preparation much
thought will be given to the question of
providing some additional source of water
supply for the city. The present conduit
has capacity of about 10000 900 gallons
per twenty-four hours, and while this NAV
be sufficient for the present time Ii is run
ming on very small margin and one that
Is likely to become dangerously small al al
most any time 1t is estimated that the
supply system, even il nothing at all should
be done toward regulating consumption
Will furnish water enough for the next five
years, but there will undoubtedly be pc
RODS within that time when we will see the
reserve in the reservoirs drawn down. Sew
erai days during the last winter when
many people apparently let water run from
MIXTURES to prevent freezing, the consump-
ton exceeded the supply and the reservoirs
wre lowered.
Realizing the necessity for doing some
thing to curb the waste the appropriation
providing for water meters was secured
from Congress-, and at the coming session
still larger appropriation will be asked to
carry forward the same work. By this
means 1t is hoped to extend the life of the
present conduit by presumably ten years,
so that an increased supply will not be abb
solutely necessary for about fifteen years.
Any request for an appropriation to make
preliminary survey for a new conduit, of
course, must come from the officers of the
Engineer Corps, U. S. A., and In the regu-
lar course of events they submitted an item
OF $4,000 for this purpose, which has al
ready gone forward to the Secretary of the
treasury as a part of the Commissioners
estimates. The Commissioners again this
year Will make an earnest effort to secure
legislation to have the entire water system
placed under control of the local govern
ment.
Require Year to Construct.
THE new conduit. IL constructed will
probably parallel the present conduit in
the sxteen-mile stretch from Great Falls,
though its route might be slightly changed
IL better engineering facilities are found The
aqueduct now in use required many years
for construction, and a new conduit would
be just such another extensive task That Is
one OF the reasons we are advocating prep
aration for the work at this time so that a.
second conduit may be ready when II n