Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-04

lowered, which It Is believed win be done
by the installation of water meters In
residences, 1t would still be necessary 70
provide for this conduit both on Account
of the rapidly increasing population anu
because the present conduit may ran al
While the present system OF mains Iof
distributing water In the District OF Coium.
bia Is satisfactory, the limit OF capacity Oh
these mains and. on some of the services, or
the present pumping plant will soon be
reached The following are certain projected
works Of extending the system Of water
distribution:
A gravity main from 9th and 1 streets
northwest to the Washington barracks
estimated cost of $355OO. No work has been
done on this at the end Of the fiscal year,
but work Is now in progress and Will De
completed probably during the present hscal
year.
force main from the District pumping
station to Woodley road and Wisconsin ave-
nue. to connect with main from Reno reser-
voir. estimated cost $95.0O0 The present
inches in diameter. and the limit Of its
capacity has been .rly reached. rms
service supplies Tenleytown, Takoma Park.
Petworth and the National Soldiers Home
A line for this main has been surveyed and
plated.
new pump of 3d. O0 600 gallons capacity
for the first high-service system has been
contracted for at cost of $SO,OOO AS TINS
service system has no reservoir, the run
capacity must be maintained in the pumps
now in service, and as pump OF this size
will require about two years to build and
install, it is necessary that early steps De
taken to provide extra capacity.
A main from the city to Anacostla ana
Congress Heights, estimated cost of $780,
600. Anacostia is at present supplied Win
water through one line of twelve-lnch man
across the Pennsylvania avenue bridge, ana
If any injury should happen to this nam
it would leave that whole section without
water. Congress Heights is without any
water supply whatever, except that derived
from wells.
Pumping station in Anacostia with partial
equipment, estimated cost of SSoOOO. Inc
present water pressures are insufficient TO
supply the higher areas beyond the Eastern
Branch
main to Benning, D. c.. estimated cost
$500 This section Is at present without
public water supply.
gravity main from the reservoir north
and east of Capitol HILL estimated cost
$500 600.
northwest to Virginia avenue and 22d street,
estimated cost SOL 600
In addition to these within few years It
will be necessary to erect an aooltlonal
pumping engine for the second high-service
system, estimated cost $SO,OOO. Furtner
minor extensions and improvements will be
also necessary, bringing the cost up to
about 100000, exclusive of smaller MAINS
laid under the assessment system. 1t Is eX-
pected that all of this should be gradually
completed within about ten years and that
the income from water rents Will De SUI
ficient to pay for the improvements.
Existing law provides that the cost OF sup
plying water to the Inhabitants of the Dis
trict of Columbia shall be paid entirely
from revenues of the water department
These revenues are made up from water
rents and assessments for water mains.
Generally the assessments for service mains
cover the cost of the mains and do not
provide for the large trunk systems, pump
ing plants, etc. The cost of these has to be
borne from the water rents. Inc water
service has in late years been increasing
rapidly. In 1895 only 100000 gallons per
day were pumped. During the last fiscal
year Q9O6) %, 100000 gallons per day were
pumped.
In order to meet the expenses mentioned
above. it has been necessary to increase the
water. rates about 25 per cent, this increase
taking effect at the beginning OF the present
fiscal year. 1t is estimated that with this
increase of rates the revenues Will amount
to S453. 600, which will make per capita
rate of Sill.
During the year 1855 additional buildings
were connected with the public water sys-
tenn making the total number OF buildings
so connected 253, 1886. With the growth or
the District the work of this ONCE increases,
as will be seen by the comparative state
ment of revenues given in the annual re-
port of the water registrar The office must
keep constant inspection of premises 10
prevent leakage and wastage OF water. Inc
amount of loss can be seen when 1t Is stat
ed that of 81, All inspections made for leaks
and wastage, leaks were found in 2.Is2
cases. or 1850 premises. This shows that
there is a leakage or wastage In about one
out of every five houses. While 1t Is often
argued that such leaks amount to very little
in themselves, often consisting only IN
slight drip from faucets such slight vast
age when it occurs in such large number
of premises represents very large GUAM
tity of water used unnecessarily. When
the cost of furnishing water has been so
much increased by the construction OF the
filtration plant and the new pumping sta
ton and large mains, every gallon OF water
wasted represents a corresponding waste
of money When a waste of water Is found
the responsible party is notified 10 nave II
stopped and informed that unless he does
the water will be cut off. 1t is seldom that
such action has to be taken, but not only
is authority given by law to do this, but
the offending party may be prosecuted In
the Police Court.
Transfer Of Washington Aqueduct.
The Commissioners repeat the recommen-
dation made in their reoort of last year
for the transfer from the War Department
to the Board of Commissioners Of the juris-
adueduct and the filtration plant. The fill
tration plant is practically completed, and
the present time is opportune for making
the transfer. 1t would be much better adj
ministration for the entire water supply
of the District of Columbia to be under one
control rather than to be divided as 1t is
at present, causing division of responsible
ity, work necessarily to be duplicated, and
additional employees to be necessary. Part
of the water mains throughout the District
are under the control of the War Depart
ment and part under the control of the
Con II .ssioners, the water flowing from one
to the other and back, in supplying the gov
eminent buildings and private establish
ments Manifestly better results would be
obtained If all the water supply were under
one control and with one responsibility. The
chief of engineers, United States ARM,
under whose control the Washington aque-
duct and the filtration plant now are. has
for several years recommended such q
transfer. AS an indication of the incon-
venience resulting from the present divided
control the Commissioners wou> cite the
case of the Conduit road, the control of
which is now under the chief of engineers
To all intents and purposes this is public
road, but the Commissioners have been in
formed by the controller of the treasury
that they cannot expend public funds in
maintaining and lighting the road, and it is
,I,o i,,,nnSSihla fo COLLECT aSSaScnoptc for