The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-09-18
FEAR WATER FAMINE
District Officials Say City
Supply Is Inadequate,
ONE CONDUIT NOT ENOUGH
Pestiience Would Follow Stopping
OF Present supply Within Four
Days, Declares observation-disclosures
ing supply Would He Worth Its
Weight in GOId-TO Prod Congress.

That water famine threatens the citl-
gems OF Washington, famine in whose
wake would follow pestilence and death,
10 say naught of the probable horrors of
q great fire, IS a fact not generally recog-
nized, but known only too well to the
officials Of the water department. said
W 4. Mcfarland. superintendent of the
District Water Department. yesterday
For years" he continued, we have
been endeavoring 10 obtain from Con-
gress a sufficient appropriation 10 pre-
vent the possibility Of such a disaster
The water supply Of the city depends
upon a single conduit, built in 1854
Should it meet with an accident, resulting
in a cessation OF its operations. Washing
ton would, within four days. be without a
drop Of water Then would ensue a pc
Tiod OF suffering. the Ike Of which no
city in the United States has as Yet
known. Drinking water would be worth
its weight in gold and its use for the
ordinary purposes Of life, such as bath
ing, would be out Of the question
Added TO this is the possibility of a
fire. in which event the Capital City
would be reduced TO ashes. as the fire de-
partment would be absolutely helpless. "
Superintendent Mcfarland has for years
made It his business TO endeavOr to iR-
press upon Congress. through the Com
miss!oners, the necessity Of an appropria-
ton for an additional conduit
Mackenzie Also.
This view is taken also by Brig. Gen.
Mackenzie chief Of engineers Of the
United States army, who has the super
vision Of the Washington Aqueduct In
his estimates required for the service for
the fiscal year ending June 80. 1909, re-
Gently submitted To the Commissioners. he
again called attention TO the necessity OF
providing in the near future, a second
conduit from Great Falls. with the neces-
sary reservoirs. and submitted an esti-
mate Of $0,o00 for preliminary investiga-
lions and surveys for increasing the
water supply.
The importance Of such a conduit can
not be Over-estimated," said Superintend-
ent Mcfarland yesterday. Should an ac-
cident befall the only conduit now In
operation. within ninety-six hours. Wash
lnston would be face TO face with the
most serious problem a municipality has
every had to encounter.
The reserve In the reservoirs. amounting
70 ao1f0oclo gallons, would be exhausted IN
less than four days. and 3 part OF that
would be unit 10 drink. Water for bath
ing purposes and the ordinary uses Of
lie could not be thought of. and added
70 lhls IS the possibility OF a fire and a
repetition Of the Baltimore and san Fran
cisco disasters. Should the CITY be so
fortunate 20 escape a connagration. how
ever, nothing could prevent the pestiIence
which would be sure 10 follow the stop-
page OF the sewers.
Would Send Family Away.
AS far as I am personally concerned.
ana having had some years experience. 7
am familiar with the situation. I would
IN the event of a serious accident 10 tie
conduit, place my family on the first
train leaving the city. no matter what It's
destination.
NOT only may water famine result
from an accident 10 the conduit. but II
Is endangered by a prolonged cold spell
and the consequent waste Of water. by
Inc householders leaving their taps run
hlhS 70 prevent the freezing of the fix
lures The present rate Of daily consump-
tlon OF water in the District is about
O'oJ-uW gallons day. Several years ago.
uutihs a period of such weather. the daily
consumption 81 water averaged for a time
over i@'JJNmJ gallons, and serious conse-
quehceS were only avoided by q change
N tAe weather. II Is 10 prevent waste OF
TINS KIM that we are installing wafer
meters. II the citizens OF Washington
realized the necessity Of such precaufion-
airy measures there would be no obiac-
tons on their part
Appropriation Needed.
4 hope that this year the matter NAV
again be brought so forcibly to the al
tention Of the Appropriation Committee
as 10 result in the making OF an appro-
priation for this preliminary work.
Upon a rough estimate. 10000 VIII
De required 10 construct the conduit ami
1t would probably take three years IN
finish the work. The resulting good n
such additions 10 the water supply of
tse District cannot De over estimated"
Commissioner mcfarland said yester-
oay that he viii strongly recommend TO
Congress at the coming session the ap-
preparation of the amount necessary for
the preliminary survey.
IT is said he. exactly what the
commissioners have been urging for some
years past, and the importance Of ad-
ditional water facilities is emphasized
each year by the growth of the city.
Under present conditions. serious results
would follow the cessation of operations
Of the single conduit upon which the city
now depends, and the Commissioners will
use their utmost endeayOrs in presenting
70 Congress the grave probabilities that
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