The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-12-28

considering the amount of water fur
lnished and used, than in any other city
of the United States" superintendent
of Public Works Marston Campbell
remarked in discussing the local water
situation.
but under the present system of
supplying water, which is the fiat rate
one, neither the department nor the
consumer has any idea of the amount
of water used by the individual rate
payer. A man pays a certain amount
per year for water and naturally feels
that he is entitled to use all the water
that he sees fit, even to the extent OF
careless and wilful wastes. Most of
the consumers seem to feel that it is
necessary for all of their lawns to be
watered eaich day in the year, whereas
even under the most adverse iclimatic
conditions two waterings a week, or
possibly three, are enough to preserve
lawns, shrubbery and trees in excellent
condition.
water is a commodity the same as
beef flour, tea, corn or wheat, and
should be sold by measure, the con-
sumner paying for the amount used at
a certain rate per thousand gallons.
This does not necessarily mean an
increase in rates but, as the entire
Town was metered, a decided decrease
in rates The saving to the govern
ment would come in the decreased
cost of operating due to the reduction
in wastes.
Further the meter system would
unquestionably assure to every con-
sumner water in sufficient quantity for
all uses, domestic and irrigation. All
cities throughout,the United States are
recognizing these facts. Los Angeles
shows since it has adopted the meter
system within the past few years
marvellous results. The idea that the
meter, system would prevent the prop
erty owners from keeping up their pre-
misses is an absurdity, as measurement
on many places in Honolulu where me-
tiers have been installed for experiment
i tai purposes has demonstrated that the
rate by meter is considerably less than
the nat rate. The flat rate is. absurd
on its face and it unquestionably works
out to the disadvantage of the COM
munity at large, as under that method
of charging water rates there must
be some basis. 1t can only be figured
on the area of land and the floor area
of houses with the number of fixtures.
what is the result? One man re-
cognizing his civic obligations uses wa
ter properly, while another indiscrimin-
ately through his yard boy and SER
wants waists the water. In the final
analysis the results are l. The legi-
innate user of water by meter secures
a lower rate. 2. The wasteful user,
pays for his wastes.
!
or who has not gone carefully into the
various problems presented by the wa
ter system of Honolulu, cannot for a
moment appreciate the tremendous
wastes daily occurring, and the only
method of prevention is the meter.
st feel that I would fail in my OBJ
: legations to the citizens of Honolulu ii
I did not constantly keep before them
the water situation.
Another fact that few appreciate is
that the department is distributing
water from Black Point to Kaimuki
and from the waterfront to an eleva7
ton in the valleys of 800 feet. Before
the construction of the Rapid Tran
sit Co.'S system and the distribution OF
population over this large area the
J population of Honolulu was concentra-
tied within limited bounds. Since that
construction the population has been
distributed to Kaimuki, Manoa, Nuu-
anu, Kalihi and Kaiwiki, so that even
with large water supply the question
of distributing the water remains a
! vital one. We are supplying water
at present through sixty-eight miles OF
pipe upon which we have FIVE thousand
connections. The pipe consists OF
every class and variety from castiron
to stovepipe, and in dimensions from
18-inch to l 10 inch. The smaller
sizes of mains are due primarily to the
effort to get water to the householder
within the limit of the moneys avail
able. In this condition we are nc
worse off than every growing commu-
nifty. 1t is repetition of the history
of almost every waterworks withir
the United States. Honolulu, however