The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-24
TALK OF METERS.
Water Question Again Up in
City Council.
Proposed to Force the Use OF
Meters.
MAKE NO DISTINCTION.
Would Practically Prohibit
Watering OF Lawns.
No Proposal to Reduce the
Rates Included.
LAKE NO DISTINCTION.

The water meter question Is agar
being agitated in the city council Ine
plan now proposed is TO put al water
users on a meter basis. making on us
tfuctfous whatever in the use OF water
for houses or lawns No reduction III
rates Immediately Is contemplated This
would practically prohibit the water
ing OF lawns as 10 one but the very
wealthy can afford 10 use water tor
sprinkling on the present water OASIS
The Meter Side
1t Is claimed that about two-thtrds OF
the water users OF the city get tnsir
water through a meter and tnat ms
regulates the use of water IN SOoU
shape But that those who take nat
rates pay more for the water II they
use only the same amount OF wafer a.
the owners of meters ana IilAI IL
general tendency of those buying water
on fat rates IS to let the water run
an fnf7niturn- Friends OF the meter Sy=-
TEN say that in the cold weather II uoe7
not matter much but IN the summer
season when the amount OF water uSeu
is greatly increased it makes a serious
difference because the water pressure
is greatly decreased in the parts OF lne
CITY that are far removed from Lne
station and thus dimiuishes the nre
protection. They claim that the in
stating OF meters would obVlate the
difficulty for the meter owners are
careful OF the water used
n b Howard. councilman from the
Third ward has this to say concerning
the matter
--Sfxtv-five Per cent now have meters
and I think the time ripe 10 treat al
alike This Is the prOblem- Topeka
must use less water enlarge ner pIAnt
and put in another 1S-inch main AT
once or have insufficient water pres
sure al all times in the southwestern
part Of the city. and badly cripple our
fire department in the summer
This was demonstrated last season
during the lawn spriukiug time. before
the many rev main extensions and the
hundreds Of new services were connect
ed in this same part of the city. There
will be hundreds of more new services
and we are still extending our mains,
which is right and proper. as thousands
of Topeka people have no water con-
nectioas yet. but are paying their taxes
and are part owners OF our plant Now
let Us be fair. no one Will deny that
few al least abuse the fiat rate priv
Hege-
This is 4 Topeka proposition and is
for the benefit Of the Topeka citizens
alone. and I take il for granted that
&c are@9tk believers in the first and
grea5aSt principle OF American free
Do M Equal rights TO all. and special
PRIVILEGES TO none Consequently who
dareS say that he should have no
meter and some else should have
Then. the only question that re-
mains is Shall We all do without /
meters and bankrupt our company by I
them 10 buy them bach? /
No. surely not, as it should take four /
pumping stations and six more mains. |
IL We were ali turned loose Well the I
CRY comes up Let the city water /
com pany buy the meters and We will 4
put them in What would be the 4
difference Who is the city water 4
company Nobody but yourself and 4
few more II it was right 70 buy the \
other thirty-five per cent meters and 4
Install them. it would be just as
proper &c levy an additional tax and /
paw back the other sixty-f1ve per cent
already paid for, for surely no one
would want a meter donated by some
good citizen VINO was already loyal (
enough 70 buy his own
Would it not be fair then. for each
user Of water 70 install his meter lust |
the same as a business manager buys
his ledger the first thing in opening
Up his business For that is all
meter is after all. just 10 tell YOU
THAT goes through and you can con-
troll the output just TO suit your fancy
lr your pOcketbO0k. but YOU are not !
likely 20 food the sidewalk or your
aeighbors cellar after sprfnxlfue your
avn just because it doesn't cost any
more
All must acknowledge that buying