Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-16

scented some figures tending to show that it would be necessary to have another reservoir to draw upon by the summer of 1910.
 Three years later, in my report of 1905, I discussed this matter fur thur with the conclusion that the estimate made in 1902 had been fully borne out by the growth of the city during the intervening years. At that time I stated that only such re- strictiOn of waste as can be accom- plished by the introduction of meters on all services could postpone the time when greater storage facilities would be imperatiyely needed.
 There can be no reasonable doubt at the present time that the forecast of 75,OO0 population in 1910 is un- der rather than over the truth.
 In addition to this extraordinary growth of the city the introduction of high service has resulted in the water supply reaching a larger pro- portion of the people than was be- fore possible.
 At the same time we have no evil dence to prove that the per capita consumption of water has materially decreased. The best data available indicates that the rate of consump- tion is now less than 120 gallons per capita
 Unless the proposed storage reser- voir on the branch is completed and ready for use by the summer of 1910 we will be taking grave chances of a. serious water famine. If. for in- stance, the rainfall in 1909 or 1910 should not exceed the rainfall in such years as 1883, 1892 or 1899 1t will certainly result that the reser- voirs will be drawn down to such an extent that only the severest restric- tion of use will prevent their being actually emptied and in such a case, even if they can be kept from becom- ing actually empty, there will be period of several months when the low stage of water will mean water of most unsatisfactory quality.
 If new reservoir is to be ready for use so that 1t may be drawn upon in the summer of 1910 it is neces- sary that operations be started at once. Fully two seasons will be needed for the construction work and the preparation of the reservoir basin and it might easily happen that more time would be required if such con- ditions in the labor market prevail at
 that time as were the rule last sum-
 mer and fall. We would then have the reservoir in condition to be filled
 during the winter and spring of 1909-1910.
 "The other matter which I wish to bring before you is the importance
 to the high service of having pump ing station built and in condition to
 be used when required.
 AS I have before pointed out, an interruption of tho supply from the
 Branch by accident to the pipe line, or otherwise, will compel us to use both of the East Mountain pipe lines for the low service, with the result that much of the high service district will be out of water. This will fol low from the loss of pressure due to the high velocities in those pipe lines under such heavy draft In such a
 case pumping station could take water from the low service and force 1t up onto the high ground.
 Moreover. the high service dis trict is rapidly increasing in area, as the mains are extended into new
 streets. This season will witness the addition of Town Plot to the high service, when we complete the pro- posed ten inch line across the city from Dublin street to Highland ave- nue. These edevelopmentsw will soon add largely to the amount of water need ed in the high service. and 1t must not be forgotten that the East Noun tain supply is limited. In 1883 it
 could not supply the city without as- sistance of water pumped from Mad river, and quite considerable part of the watershed then in use is not available for our high service, since we take water directly from the main
 reservoir and not from the old dis tributing reservoir nearly half a mile further down the hill. In case of a shortage on East Mountain the only way to help out the high ser
 vice district will be by pumping Branch water out of the low service main.
 Such a station was included in the original plans for high service, and land for 1t was bought at the northeast corner of North Willow and Calumet streets. For the pres ent a fourteen-inch main through Calumet street. connecting with the ten inch main in the boulevard. would probably enable us to force enough water into the high service district to prevent serious discom- fort. But before long it will be necessary to extend the larger pipe and connect it with a small storage reservoir on high ground as central | ly located as possible.
 In response to request from the engineer for increases in the wage schedule. submitted some time ago. the following advancements were
 made per day: Rawlins Lowndes. from s5.33 to s5.ss: Ben Chatfield. s4.50 to $: Charles Root. s3.50 to S3.15; Charles E. Mcdonald. s3.25
 to s3.5e; B. s. Ball, 8 10 S3.25. In addition to these few advances
 were made to boys receiving s1 and s1.25. The wages of Superintendent
 Walker of Hamilton park were ad-
 vanced from s3.50 per day to s4.
 It was voted to recommend to the al-
 dermen that the salary of the assist ant city clerk he advanced from si.-
 900 a year to s1.20o. This Is some
 thing that has been talked of on and nf for years. but It never came