The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-03
CITY HAS OUTGROWN
ITS WATER PLANTS
Increase in Pumping Power
Needed TO Furnish Proper
Fire Protection.
sUPT. BoLLING's OPINION
Proposes Establishment OF an
Electric Plant at Old Pump
l1ouse-Letter to Peters.
sUPT. B0LLlNG's OPINION

4 Z
Superintendent Boiling, of the Water
Department. has come out strongly Tor
q municipal electric power and pump
ing station to be located at the Old
FARMHOUSE. Mr.. Boiling Is emphatic
in his statements that something must
be done at once to prevent the city
Reservoir from running dry. the large
increase in population, and the greater
demand causing the water TO be USED
now as fast as it can be pumped. IN
case of big. fire, or of any turther
growth of the city. he says the supply
Of water must inevitably become IN
adequate. In letter to Mr.. r. L..
Peters president of the Common Coun-
Gil Superintendent Boiling sets forth
the situation at length
The proposed extension of water
mains and sewers into the annexed ter
ritory adds to the demand on the City
Reservoir a population of from ten
10 fifteen thousand people, who are
now using wells and various methods
OF getting water, which the Health
Board will not consent to in the city.
This further complicates the problem,
and emphasizes the Importance of It's
Immediate solution. Mr.. Boiling said
yesterday:
Just now the water supply of the
city barely meets the demands. Should
a big fire occur In the business or
manufacturing section of the city,
there is no telling what might hap
pen to the general supply. not to mem
ton the chances Of damage to the
pumping station by freshet or
drought"
Gives His Reasons.
Superintendent Boiling is regarded
by many as the best informed man
in Richmond on the river In all It's
ways, and he has given a number of
years TO the study OF the water prob
lem. In answer to request from
Mr.. Peters for an opinion on the sub
ject, he writes advocating the erec-
ton OF an electric light and power
plant at the Old Reservoir Pump House,
giving list Of succnct rea sons Tor
his view of the situation.
The plant he proposes would be used
for lighting.'thg" City by night and for
pumping by day. Mr.. Boiling limits
himself, however, almost entirely TO
the phases Of the question which bear
on the Water Department. He advo-
Gates changing the Old Pump House
into an electric power station, the pow"
er TO be transmitted. and all the pump
Ing to be done at the New Pump House
hereafter. There would be greater ad-
vantage and protection, he believes. IN
such an arrang than in Two in
dependent pumping stations as at pres
Snt.
The electricity could be generated
either by water power or by steam
and would save to the city the cost O
Installing lat the New Pump-House
steam reserve plant. estimated to cos
$4,000
In his letter TO President Peters, Mr.
Boiling says:
"Our present pumping power TO
each twenty-four hours consists
the New Pump House Of 100000 gal
Ions by water power pumps, an
b.5O0,o00 by steam power. Total a
this station, l6,5o0,O00 gallons daily
CAPACITY at the Old Pump-Houst
100000 gallons daily When the set
fling basins are brought into use, a
The water consumed will have TO b
pumped at the New Pump-House. GU
daily consumption is now l4,0ooOo
gallons, and when the annexed dis
trict Is supplied, l estimate that tn
daily consumption viii be 100000
gallons more or li,oOo,oOp Ballons pc
day, We would therefore be shor
even using the steam pumps all II
time. which cost US $50 per day
operate We would have no reserve {
excess pumping plant, and our eli
would be exposed TO great risk fro
water famine, or insufficient water
ease of fires"
No Provision for Flume.
Referring TO another phase of 4
situation, MIR. Boiling says that {
present Old Pump House will have
be abandoned when the settling hasi
are brought into use. there being
provision for fiume from one pun
house to the other.
Certainly the citizens living along I
mains from Marshall reservoir Won
not stand for river water. while I
rest OF the city, served from the nc
!, reservoir, was getting settled or Gle
water. The Old Pump House Is valu
Mt 100000. If not used the loss
account of interest $4,000. and I
a nay OF watchmen. sl,400, total 1914
per annupl would be total loss, ev
IL the power for pumping should
bought from some private company
Should the city pot determine
III erect an electric pumping station. n
gives up the Old Pu>pp-House. 1t "
1 Il sfhe necessary TO erect At once wat
power plant at the NtW Pump Ho,