New-York tribune., 1906-03-28
WATER LOSS ENORMOUS.
P4RKHURST MEN At LEAK.
Society Says 23,OOO 900 900 Gallons
Can Be Saced Yearly.


perpetrated daily in this city is the unnecessary
waste Of water. the Society for the Prevention OF
crime has been conducting an Investigation TO
ascertain the extent Of such waste, employing
agents 10 detect and report on fragrant cases
and engineers 10 study and report on conditions
which the agents cannot understand As a re-
suit Frank Moss. counsel for the society. has
in his possession a mass Of reports. many OF
them accompanied by photographs. which seem
10 show startling waste OF Croton water in
Manhsttsn and The Bronx
The Croton Aqueduct pours into Manhattan
and The Bronx an average Of 816.OOOOOO gallons
Of water a DAY, or over 115OO0OO0OOO gallons E
yesr. and Mr. Moss SAYS he has information that
nearly one-haH Of the vast tide is wasted. either
through leakage from the reservoirs or through
leaks in the system Of distributing pipes. At a
cost of few million dollars, he asserts the city
could stop 20 per cent Of the leakage. which
would be equivalent 10 creating supply Of
IO00OO0OO0 gallons a year.
Engineers employed in the investigation have
oppressed belief that nearly one-third of the
water flowing into the large reservoir in Central
Park is wasted through leakage and does not
enter the citys distributing mains. Such enor-
NOUS leakage from the reservoir is something of
& mystery. although the engineers have supplied
photographs OF the inner lining Of the reservoir.
which they say indicate leakage from the sides
when the water is above the level az which the
pictures were taken. There is also an uncorrob-
Grated report that bombs were exploded under
water ~ the bottom OF the reservoir some years
sgo AZ the instigation Of persons interested in
committing the city 10 a new water supply
scheme IN order 20 break large holes in the Gem
ent bottom and thus increase the leakage. The
reservoir is on high ground and so near Fifth
avenue that any considerable leakage from the
srra~ ze-4F-
ground into that part Of the city east Of Fifth
avenue and north Of 72d street, in which there
have not been any natural underground water
courses
WET CELLARS NEAR PARK.
Investigations by agents OF the society in the
neighborhood have resulted in reports that many
houses there have had water IN their cellars for
years August Hoeberman, a contractor who
had worked with success in making cellars in
that part OF the city dry. furnished a long list
Of such houses. His method was 10 cover the
outside Of a west wall Of a cellar with cement
and then dig trench from the bottom Of the
wall 10 the nearest sewer and lay a tile drain
10 carry the water to the sewer. He hit on the
plan by observing that all the water seemed to
come from the direction Of the big reservoir in
Central Park.
Having protected a cellar al S9th street and
Fifth avenue in that manner recently, Eoeber-
man constructed a manhoe leading down TO the
drain. and through this manhole L. c. Eisenhut,
an engineer employed by the society, has been
able 70 examine the how Of water. Nfr. Eisenhut
has reported 10 Mr.. Moss that the flow in the
drain is OF pure Croton water. undoubtedly a
leak from the reservoir, and amounting to nearly
thousand gallons a day. Mr. Eisenhut said
he believed at least 20 per cent Of the water in
the biz reservoir leaks out He says that in all
probability most of the water thus escaping finds
itF way into the sewers, but agents Of the So
derv have obtained information that several
large buildings in the neighborhood have driven
wells from which abundant supplies of Croton
water are being obtained without the payment
o. any water tax.
= the reports Of the agents and engineers are
n hr trusted, the new jerome Park Reservoir
VIII leak badly as the big reservoir in Central
Park The reports declare that examfna tions
made only a few days ago disclosed much leak
sEa from the Jerome Park Reservoir. Photo
graphs accompanying the reports show water
standing al a depth OF four or five feet outside
the reservoir walls in places where the leakage
cannot run off quickly. Some Of the photo
graphs also show where ice from the lea ge
formed on the outside Of the wall a foot or two
above the standing pools. Mr Eisenhut who
made careful examination lasting several days.
said the effect OF the leakage was shown by a
ever rho inflow ceased, while water being
sent through mains leading from the reservoir.
N- Eiscnbut declares that If the Jerome Park
Reservoir loses > per cent Of its water by leak
sEe while the water i'm the reservoir is still at
lon level. IT would lose % per cent if the reser-
rotr were full on account q the increased press
are TIe asserts that the walls of. the reservoir
arc detective i'm many places, and that they are
liable break under pressure when the reser-
'o.r IS C1ll
REPORT WATER STOLEN.
Agents of the society have collected evidence
~ reckless waste q water at bulkheads along
Inc A0rrb and East rivers. whore il is believed
boats r.e up Al might 10 obtain supplies Of
'ro-0n water free. Photographs taken at East
River bulkheads At Wall and Market streets
s7n" Dr0fon pipes running along the outside
eeger ~ The bulkheads and dischargng water
f-H force into the river They are merely sam
pics or similar conditions observed at other
points along the river fronts.
AZ Perry street and the North River Tribune
reporter yesterday made personal examination
~ water waste s hydraut near the edge Of the
al.Ieaa af that point has been tapped with
m rnn rIre which runs under the strngpece
iHa l#.Er~ water into the river. The force
" f- waiter f-3u the pipe would seud the
stream shooting FAR ont into the river. hut
somebody has placed piece n old rubber hose
over lHn end n the pipe so that the stream is
diverted downward ard is rot 10 be observed
e1-orr by person ca boat in the river or
ly aIr beading over The edge u the bulkhead.
Al n.. aaint on the North River agents Of
iae society have detected men in the act of TAX
iHE water from Ere hydrants ard carrying the
Hal.r 'n buckets 20 boats lying II the dock At
another p.int agents found that an ole street
-na'.n= wagon was used 10 take water from