The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-20
FaV0rS Municipal Ownership Of
the WatGrWOrks No Plan
is Recommended
STRONGLY OPPOSES
THE USE OF METERS
Report Is Divided Under Three Heads.
Domestic Water, Industrial Water
and Municipal Ownership.
Rates Exorbltant.

The report of the special water COM
mittee of the Mayor and aldermen was
made at the meeting of the board last
night by Alderman Cooper, chairman of
the committee. The committee declares
for municipal ownership among the other
things. The report was referred to the
finance committee to report at the next
meeting Following Is the report in full:
Your committee in investigating the
matter referred to it by the Board OF
Mayor and Aldermen of Birmingham, has
thought that the work should naturally
be divided into three parts under present
conditions in the city of Birmingham, as
follows:
Scope of Committees Work.
l. Domestic water, its price and whether
the conditions in relation thereto can be
bettered.
?. Industrial water. Its price and guam
tity and whether any system can be sub
stituted for the present expensive pump
ing system of the water company.
g. Municipal ownership, whether advis-
able or not. and if So whether 1t can
best be accomplished by purchase or COLI
domination of the present eompany's sys-
by the city.
This is a large subject, and although
the committee has been steadily at work
since it's organization, 1t is not ready yet
to make a final report on any of the
propositions involved
Domestic Rates Exorbitant.
As to the first branch of the subject,
that is domestic water, your committee
is firmly of the opinion that the rates
charged private consumers are exorbitant
and unreasonable, and that they should
be reduced. We have reviewed the past
history of negotiations between the water
company and the city looking to a reduc-
ton of rates, and we find that the water
company has offered to make some con-
cessions, but has always accompanied
this offer with the condition that meters
be attached to residences and that they
be allowed to charge by meter rates for
water consumed In residences.
Opposes Meter Rates.
In our opinion no ordinary concession
would Justify this board in permitting the
company to charge meter rates for resi-
dences in the city of Birmingham We
are unalterably opposed to the present
company being allowed this privilege and
will not submit to this board any propo-
sition containing this condition.
Present Contract.
The city attorney advises us that I'M
der the wording of the present contract
with the water company, there is a prob
ability that the rates made therein and
charged now by the water company,
would be construed to be maximum rates
and that this board has legislative power
and authority to reduce the said rates to
a point where they are reasonable. We
are now having expert investigation made
as TO just what would be reasonable rates
and when they are aseertalned, we will
come forward with definite recommended
lions in reference thereto. and we be-
lieve that everything possible should be
done to reduce these rates. and If the
citizens have any rights under the con-
tract, to enforce them.
Industrial Water.
AS to the matter of Industrial water.
this committee requested certain promi-
nent citizens not members of the board,
well informed In regard to Industrial con-
ditions, to act as special committee
with this committee in the investigation
of this matter These gentlemen readily
consented to do so and from their state
ments 1t was developed that for indus
trial purposes, under present conditions.
the free water supply of the community
Is limited and that in some instances
it Is necessary to fall back upon the
water company for industrial water. Also
that the cost of water from the water
company is excessive for industrial pur-
poses under the rates now charged, and
that some action should be taken looking
towards a large supply of cheap water
for Industrial purposes. The special com
mittee raised by subscription $4,000 for
surveys for the location of other water
supply for the purposes mentioned.
preliminary survey. made by Professor
Kay of the University of Alabama and
the city engineer has developed the fact
that, prima facia, for comparatively
small expenditure of money nearly five
hundred million gallons of water daily
can be brought by gravity almost to the
city limits. A permanent survey has been
ordered for the location of the work and
for an estimate in detail of the expense
and is now being made. In this connection,
we beg to call attention to the fact that
this survey may be useful on the propo-
sition of domestic water also, as we are
advised that the water supply which is
being Investigated Is pure or purer than
the Cahaba river water. and certainly
by the installation Of filters such as those
now in operation by the present water
company, bountful supply of pure wa
ter for domestic purposes can be procured
at reasonable figures.
Under Instructions of the special COM
mttee the city attorney has prepared a
bill giving the city power to build and
operate plant such as is contemplated
in this section OF our report.
Municipal Ownership.
In the opinion of the committee. nc
permanent or satisfactory solution of the
water question can be had until municipal
ownership is accomplished and the public
owns It's own water works. This ought to
be undertaken by the city of Birmingham
on scale large enough to supply the
needs of the whole district, II necessary,
so that Industrial plants may be attracted
irresistably to the community and the
needs of Greater Birmingham be readily
supplied. The expert investigation spoken
of above OF the properties Of the Water
company undertaken in regard to domestic
rates will develop the present Water
Works company's plants value, and will
develop, IL 1t is deemed advisable to pur-
chase or condemn their plant. what a
fair price for the same would be.
The detailed survey of the forks OF the
Warrior river. which we have outlined
above as having been undertaken in re-
gard to Industrial supply of water. will
give us an adequate idea of the cost of
installation and maintenance of a new
water works plant.