New-York tribune., 1909-12-19
WATER PLAN RIGHT
PROF. BURR'S VIEWS.
Erpert Says CatskiH Scheme
Is Cheapest and Best.

Professor William H. Burr, of Columbia
University, consulting engineer of the
Board OF Water Supply. and a member of
the commission appointed by Mayor Low
TO report on additional water supply of
New York, has just completed an investi-
cation OF the construction work on the
Catskin aqueduct, and says that the most
urgent need for the city Of New York at
the present time is that Of additional
water. and that the city is fortunate in
having the Catskiu aqueduct work so well
in hand.
He says that water viii be delivered
from the new supply in about four years.
and that the deep pressure tunnel scheme
for distributing the new supply in Man
haitian. Brooklyn. Queens and Richmond
means a saving Of S2oOOO.0e0 as compared
with the cost OF distributing the same
water in large mains.
Professor Burr is very confident OF OBJ
tainiug a tunnel in solid rock under the
Hudson at Storm King, and says that the
work is well under way. He adds that the
deet tunnel plan is not really a change of
the original scheme, except as 70 the single
detail OF running a large pipe line from the
Hillview reservoir direct 10 Brooklyn
Professor Burr says that with the open
Ing OL O.OS IOT lew herSlCO reservoir
on December q. there will, on Janu-
Uary l. be S70,OeOOoo worth OF construction
work under contract The aggregate OF the
sums for which the various contracts have
been awarded is substantially under the
oiginal estimates OF cost and in some
cases much under the estimates
Professor Burr says that the waste OF
water. through leakage and other causes.
is not to exceed Is per cent, and that
in Brooklyn it probably Is down to 10 per
cent. Therefore. he says, there is no sub
stantiai relief for the water supply in
checking this waste, as the increase in
population demands a growing consunp-
ton
Asked by Tribune reporter TO make
statement concerning the progress on the
new aaueduct, Mr.. Burr said:
The recent application of the Board Of
Water Supply for the approval by the
Board Of Estimate and Apportionment OF
the plan OF the extension OF the Catskil
aqueduct from the HiIIview reservoir at
the northern city limit as a deep tunnel
down Manhattan Island and under the
East River to the Borough OF Brooklyn
again calls attention TO the Catskill project
as q whole.
GENERAL PLAN FOUR YEARS OLD
1T will be remembered that the general
plan for the additional water supply from
the Catskili mountain regions, including
the Ashokan reservoir, Catskill aqueduct.
the new Kensico reservoir, the filters and
the Hillview reservoir, together with a pro-
visional pipe line extension from the latter
to the boroughs OF Brooklyn and Rich
rlond, was submitted TO the Board OF Esti-
mate and Apportionment. IN accordance
with statutory requirements. on October 9.
1905
That plan made a tentative provision
OF 10o.00o.000 gallons for the Borough OF
Brooklyn and 2O.000,0O0 gallons for the Bor-
oUgh OF Richmond. in view OF the impera-
tive need OF water in those two boroughs
at that time. especially in the Borough Of
Brooklyn. II was impossible when that
general plan was developed to make the
requisite studies either for a final plan for
the relief OF Brooklyn. and Richmond from
the Catskill sources or any plan at all for
the extension Of the Catskiu aqueduct from
Hillview reservoir southwark through the
boroughs of The Bronx and Manhattan so
as suitably to discharge the remaining
SSo,o ,oo0 gallons day of the total 10000
600 gallons into the distribution systems Of
the latter two horoughs.
After making complete Investigation OF
all reasonable plans for introducing this
additional SO0,000,0e0 gallons daily to the
various distribution systems OF the en-
tire city. and after making complete COM
parauve estimates OF costs Of steel and
cast iron pipe systems and deep tunnels.
II has been conelusively shown that the
most economical and efficient system is 10
huild deep tunnel from two hundred to
three hundred feet below the surface.
starting at the surface at HillYiew reser-
veir, southerly under the Harlem River
and Manhattan Island, nearly to the south
ern extremity of the latter. and then tun-
mel under the East River to the central
part OF the Borough OF Brooklyn. From
the latter point connections will be made
with the distribution system OF Brooklyn
and a requisite additional supply will be
carried to both the boroughs OF Queens
and Richmond by tunnel under the Mar
rows To the latter.
1T has furthermore been found 70 lead
to the greatest economy and efficiency to
make this tunnel connection with the Ror-
ough OF Brooklyn include the how or the
30 Zoo COOS gallon steel pipe line and 200,Go0,-
00-gallon tunnel under the East River con-
tenaplated in the general plan OF October
., 1905 The total economy attained by this
deep tunnel plan over any steel and iron
E4E6 lti4E SJSNG1A4 Hll(14 GdA DC devised TOT
conducting the water from Eilview reser-
voir 10 the distribution systems or the dif-
ferent boroughs OF the city is a little more
than $4,000. 900. It furthermore saves the
enormously expensive and excessively in
convenient tearing UP of streets, with all
the attendant indirect losses Of indefinite
number involved in any surface system.
To this saving must be added about s2000,-
900 representing the operation. maintenance
and other costs of the present pumping
stations which will not be needed under
the new system.
EAST RIVER TUNNEL PRAISED.
This deep tunrei is sufficient in capacity
at IT'S upper end. near Hillview reservoir
to carry the entire 5O0oo0.00O gallons a day.
but ii naturally decreases in capacity on
it's way southeriy TO Brooklyn, so as 20
form q connection by a tunnel eleven feet
in diameter between the distribution sys-
TENS OF the two great boroughs. In fact, II
forms a most useful and necessary junction
of all the distribution systems in the en-
tire city. This tunnel under the East River
would form an invaluable connection for
the flow Of any surplus waters in either
direction. thus conducting In the highest de-
gree 10 the maximum efficiency OF any ad-
ditional water supply for the entire city
which may be obtained from any direction
or source in the future