Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-07-01
VISIT TO PLANT
THIS MORNING
Company Says Five Feet In Res
efvOir Necessary for Fire Pro-
leCtion-IS Consumption
Heavier Than Ever
Before?

The water committee OF the city
council late this afternoon had not
determined why the water supply
was not adequate to keep the mains
under full pressure. although it VII
probably have q report re9dy to sub
nit by tonight.
The committee PAID an Official visit
to W. II. Gillenwater, manager OF the
Water supply company, this morn
ing Mr.. Gilenwater took thc mem
hers Of the committee Ia the teser-
voir, near the university, AM also to
the pumping station an1 the wells. -
member of the committee said that
there were about five feet or a little
over of water in The Ycso. vOir. and
that the water was tica1, eEd the
reservoir in good condition. Mr.. Gill
lenwater told the committee that
there should be no less than FIVE feet
of water in the reservoir at ell times
in order to assure 3o)d fire protec-
ton and chat whenever the water got
that low II was necessary to reduce
the pressure and otherwise lower
the consumption, as matter OF
public safety. He said that the COM
pany usually carried about eight or
nine feet of water in the reservoir.
The company records were cited to
show that over 100000 gallons of
water were being pumped every "a
hours. Mr.. Gillenwater said that the
company was supplying More water
at present than it had ever supplied
but that the quantity did not seem
tN, oh to n
ton which was heavier in the low
lands than in the highlands
The water was turned on early
this morning under a pressure of 50
pounds but the consumption under
that pressure began to lower the
water in storage and the pressure
was again reduced.
Whether or not the Water supply
company is not pumping enough wa
ter to supply the demand, whether
there is not enough water in the
wells. whether there is leak in
some of the larger water mains,
which is wasting the water. or
whether the consumption of water is
greater than at any previous time,
are questions with which the com
mittee has to deal
4 member of the committee stated
this afternoon that he was not pre-
pared to pass judgment on the mat
ter without further investigation. 1t
is probable that stated hours will be
set for irrigating gardens and
sprukling lawns and other precau-
tins taken to reduce the consumption
of water for a short time as test.
A member of the committee said the
Water supply company had stated
that it would somewhat increase the
pressure this afternoon, so that water
users could get water on other than
the first doors of their homes ana Or
fees Great Inconvenience was
caused by the low pressure yester-
DAY. which shut off all water in two
and three-story structures, above the
first floor and made sprinklinP I'M
possible.
The city council took the matter
AID last night at a special meeting in
the offices of Alderman Wroth. May
or Lester said that the impression
had gone out that the water was or
dered shut off on account of the re-
pairs to the Second street sewer and
he thought the impression should be
summarily dealt with, as the council
had not ordered the water off. Upon
motion of Alderman Neustadt. sec
onded by Alderman Beaven, the
water committee was instructed TO
Investigate the situation.
The following report was submitted
by Chairman WToth of the sewer
committee and adopted:
owing to the general impression in
the minds of the public that the city
council ordered the cutting off of the
water supply. during the progress Of
repairs on South Second street sewer,
the council desires to correct such i'm
preston as no such order was given,
by the council or committee.
Il is undoubtedly true that the abb
sence Of water during Monday and
Tuesday was a most important factor
in permitting rapid repair of what
would have been a serious ana
lengthy proposition.
The break Involving three or four
lengths Of pipe) was discovered sun
day morning and was completely clos
ed Jy the construction of a concrete
pipe early Wednesday morning
To do this satisfactory it was ne
Cessary to carry on the actual repair
work at night. when the flow Of sew