New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-03
WATER SUPPLY AND WASTE.

The question of preventing needless waste
OF water in this city has been raised several
times In the course Of the present discussion
of ways and means for increasing the water
supply, and forms the topic of an intelli-
gent article in Engineering News" of current
date. It is argued that however great may
be our extension of the supply system, there
should be thorough and effective campaign
against waste. With that we entirely agree.
There is no use in pouring water into sieve.
and in hoping by means Of more copiOus pour
ing TO be able to I'll the sieve. The state of
water distribution in this city is not quite
bad as that yet it is pretty bad, and the in
crease of supply and Of pressure in the mains
will doubtless also Increase the margin of
waste, unless some radical means be employed
to check it. That such means should be prompt
~ employed. and should be pressed to the full
est possible efficiency at the same time with
the extension of the supply system, we believe.
and have repeatedly urged.
1t is difficult to determine, however, Just how
much waste there is, and to what extent It
could be checked without that stinting Of legid-
mate use which would be absolutely intOerabe:
for while we deprecate the needless waste of
single gallon must hold 1t better that
thousand gallons should be wasted than that
any one should at any time be unable to get
single cupful that actually needed OF
danger there is Of actual need being denied. and
that is one of the strongest arguments for stop
ping waste But the margins Of and Of
waste vary SO greatly in different cities that it
is difficult TO estimate to what extent New
York's consumption might be reduced.
According to some carefully procured stu
tistics a few years ago, New-GOrk (the old
city, was using land wasting) about II gal
Ions a day for each inhabitant, and Brooklyn
was using IS gallons At the present time
the whole city is using probably about 125
gallons or somewhat less. if we take the tran
sient population into account. According to the
same statistics Boston using 113 gallons.
Chicago AS gallons and Philadelphia 1916 gal
Ions Elsewhere there were more marked diff
ferences. Thus Buffalo and Pittsburg each used
233 gallons while Cincinnati was content with
95 and St. Louis with S. Most significant Of
all however were the figures of some cities
which had introduced the meterng system.
Thus Rochester, with % per cent metered. used
only y gallons. and Providence, with so per
cent metered. only "a gallons New Bedford.
with only per cent metered. used 102 gallons,
while Fall River with 90 per cent netered.
used only 50 gallons Paterson. with only
per cent metered, used JAG gallons and Woon-
socket, with IS per cent metered, only 2S gal
Ions Detroit without meters, used 49, gallons.
and Milwaukee, 60 per cent metered only So
gallons. We-must regard these figures as sug-
gestive and as worthy of careful and practical
consideration in New-York, especially as we
have heard no complaints of stinting in the
cities which are metered. but, the contrary,
understand that the legitimate of water is
as abundant there elsewhere The fact
that London uses only 45. Glasgow 55 and Paris
less than 60 gallons u day may also be largely
attributed TO the same system of preventing
wanton and needless waste, while permitting
copious use for all legitimate purposes.
1t seems judciOus therefore, to recommend,
as The Tribune has hitherto done. and as
Engineering News" does, the adoption of meas
ures ito locate and stop all gross waste and to
collect from every water consumer his Just
prOportion OF the cost OF service" Bur this
should be done without in the least delaying
or circumscribing the efforts which are now
being made for the increase Of the supply, for
such increase viii b. needed as soon as It can