Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-07-06

sively that the plant is inadequate to
meet the company's obligation. If.
pumping to It's full capacity and pro-
ducing more water than ever before.
it can not Eat all times furnish for
public and private use n good and
sufficient supply of good water as the
same may be needed and demanded.
at a minimum pressure of sixty
pounds it Is Inadequate. If, while
the supply is cut OF from the con-
sumers almost entirely for three days,
it can not by continual pumping
catch up with the demand, it is inade-
quate. If. however. there is a short
age occasionel by drouth. it can not
be true. as claimed. that the pun rs
are working to their full capacity and
producing more water than ever be-
fore, because there can be no drouth
under these conditions.
This committee is of opinion, after
investigation, that there is little or
no waste of water, and certainly none
above normal.
The enormously high rates charged
~
sary use of water by private consuin-
ers to a minimum. In many cities Of
our size water is furnished at a low
per annum rate. whether much or lit
tie is used. This system induces
waste. and then it is often found nee
essary to restrict its use. In other
cities, rates are so low that often
more water han necessary is used.
But here in Albuquerque. where
every gallon is charged for at
a high rate, consumers are not and
can not afford to be wastcful. The
company has failed to specify any
instances of wastefulnces by individ-
uals, and the committee has heard OF
none.
In any event, the right to the use
of water here is measured by the
amount the consumer deems neces-
sary and demands and is willing and
able to pay for, and not by what the
company deems necessary and says
shall be used. Different standards as
to the proper amount of water need
ed for irrigation are fixed by differ
ent persons. and the company can not
dictate that standard so long as it is
paid for according to the water used.
1t must furnish at all times a good
and sufficient supply of good water,
as the same may be needed and de-
handed.
There has been no waste by the
city. in spite of the assertions OF the.
The company at no time
prior to Friday night last minated
that there was a shortage, but at that
time. while strcnuously denying a
shortage. stated hat it was brought
about by drouth. and the unprece-
dented use and waste of water
Through its organ, the Morning Jour
nal. it gave the city council and the
people to understand hat the shut
off of water was occasioned by the
repairs, and no intimation of
the failure of supply was made until
after the sewer had beer repaired,
and the city had no knowledGa from
any source hat there was any short
age of water. Under its contract with
the company. the city is entitled to
eighty thousand gallons per day, in
to all the water necessary
for fire purposes.
ON Monday, Tuesday and Wednes-
day. the city used in it's street sprink-
lers altogether 1000 gallons, as shown
it was entitled to 24O,00 gallons. No
more water was used. not because "t
a desire to conserve the water, as Il
had no knowledge of any threatened
but because the water u
be drawn from the hydrants or
company. The fountains of the
CITY were practically stopped during
whole of that time, for the same
reason. At the end of the period
the streets had become al
most impossible from dust, and a
larger supply WIS used on ThurSdaN'
Friday and Saturday, by reason
the use of acequia water, unknown
o the city. there was a good supply,
only about one-fifth of the usual
was used on the streets.
The only specific instance of waste
allied to the attention of the city was
It the public library building, and as
;oon as notified the city caused that
eakage. which was Insignificant, to
lc stopped.
At the time when the Journal, IN
Thursday morning, stated that tn
heritage was occasioncd by the eN-
.essive use of water by the city on
he streets, there had been during
ionday, Tuesday and "Wednesday
tanks altogether devoted 80
hat purpose. 1000 gallons in ali.
The water company had had the
,enefit of its fun pumping capacity
or three full days, with practically
water drawn from it's supply The I
itv had been deprived of 10000 ga 7
ons at least. to which it was entitled, !
t that time. Yet the company our 5
ne the remainder of the week only I
urnished about o%nc-third of the nor
1al demands of those three days, +
leanwhilc using acequia water in :
of well water. p
It is absolutely false that n fro f
was used at any time during tn =