New-York tribune., 1909-03-22
WATER REVENUE LEAKS
DEFECTS And REMEDIES.
Report of Bureau of Municipal I'm
prOUements on Investigation.

According TO the report by the Bureau OF Munlc-
ipsl Research on tina administration OF the water
revenues in Manhattan 10 he issued to-day many
changes have been made in the system in the water
registers Office increase It's efficiency. Many Of
these changes. which have been put into effect by
Colonel" Michael c. Padden the Water Register
ss the result OF the work Of the investigation ex-
tending over two years, have already been made
public
The report shows that the methods Of the Water
Registers bureau were lax. antiQuated and unbusi-
resslike- and specific instances given
where the city lost money through them In con-
clusion the report says:
While the commissioner has definitely assumed
responsibility for the exercise Of control the
accuracy Of accounts as we'll as for obtaining in,
objections made. there have not yet been adopt
personnel Of the bureau the location OF the re
sponsibility for economy and efficiency in the
prosecution of the work.
The Bureau Of Municipal Research has completed
and expects TO issue this week report covering
SIS work in examining the entire Department Of
Water Supply. Gas and Electricity of which John
H. O'BTien IS the head
The report on the water registers bureau states
that from 19e6-'0S there has been increase in
collections Of water BIZ the bureau amount
irE 70 an average OF 100000 year. This is in
rsrt due 10 the growth of population the report
saws. and in part may be said to be due to the
irc7ez sed vigor with which the Work OF coIecuon
hss been pursued
Among the changes in the bureau brought about
e., the latter part last year and the early part OK
t4fs wear was one in the method Of administrative
sra accounting control for the building purposes
ard taos branch. Changes were also made in the
,-.-bod If handling the charges and collection OF
water rates for shipping and in the methods OF ac
counting IN the frontage rate ard meter rate
branches The investigation developed that the
r,e+e- rate charges were in many cases Inaccurate
h.s,.a of defective meters and for other reasons
The crv lost much money for water used In build
.,p operations The charges made for water used
~, shipping in the ha-bor were in many instances
too small -.
-, determining frontage rates" the report says.
.,h. r-scrioe was such as hold out e continued
,z-.-,,,- n irsnecto-s 10 make terms with water
rse-s tending thus to deprive the city OF revenue
2 ss nossibe for clerks without detection 10 make
.-bir-arv reductions on bills. The correctness OF
-Le r,e-ered property records could not he reaolly
proved. -, IT,. .-
The report states that bills paid by the city tor
-. ,,.rsons have been allowed 10 90 on for
wears uncoIected. large amounts being inFeS'eo III
- -,znne- The inspectors found many IN
.+anoes where property was not properly oescrloeo
end was actually using more water than was palo
for
Some meters were inaccessible 10 inspectors ana
,o-n. yer. SO covered with dirt and mud water or
-e+-,se that Il was impossible 10 tell whether OF
not they were IN good condition One owner was
~, able to show any meter at all but he said ne
thought there had been one in part Of the cellar
which had been cemented over some meters hsu
ro- heen read in several years
Turing the last years. the report says,
-bs averaged bills stated by the water regis
tor 70 have amounted 70 s1-soo,ooo and TO nave
been settled for about 100000 large part Of
,s 5000 900 stated to been lost BY compromise
- have heen saved by more effective admins
-s,ion By permitting such conditions 10 exist
she cirv rot only has been deprived Of revenue but
has maintained Z system which has put very
large premium on inef1ciency and dishonesty.