The Washington herald., 1909-08-14

|
is less per capita to-day than It was ten
years ago. is the Official statement Of
W. A. Mcfarland, superintendent Of the
water supply for the District.
Superintendent Mcfarland completed a
| compilation OF the statistics which prove
| conclusively this fact. With the official
figures he has prepared a comprehensive
chart which shows at a glance the daily
and annual average consumption OF
water, indicating its rise and fall in gal
| Ions.
That the consumption has been largely
reduced BY millions Of gallons IS due to
two principal factors in the improved and
modern administrative methods adopted
| by the water department.
In 1900 the daily average consumption
OF water was 4S.5OOOOO gallons The fol-
lowing year It jumped more than 2.000.
900 gallons. One year later there was an
/ increased demand Of more than 6,00O.OJO
gallons. IN 1903 Il went 20 100000 gal
! ions above what it was IN 1900 The next
year It jumped 100000 gallons daily and
the next year increased only 100000. the
the close OF 1906 # was found that the
consumption had run up TO 67.5OoOOO gal
I Ions. The next year there was a decrease
! Of 10000 gallons daily, and IN 1903 con-
sumption had fallen TO 65.O00O00 gallons.
IN 1853 it was reduced by 3S00,O00 gallons,
as compared with the previous year.
Meters Cause Decrease.
| The fact that the abnormal yearly In
crease in the daily consumption OF the
water supply came 20 a standsdII in the
year 1907 was In large measure due 70
the installation Of water meters. With
the Introduction Of these machines show
ing how much water hotels. livery sta
bles. and other large consumers and
hOuseholders were using, there was a
gratifying reduction Of the waste that
threatened to force the government 20
double The capacity OF the supply. Again
1 Il will be noted that IN 1903 there was a
/ decrease Of more than 100000 gallons IN
/ the daily consumption Of the supply This
was due TO the introduction OF the pit
ometer and the exercise OF expert intelli-
/ gence on the management Of the service
/ that quickly located the daily loss Of
/ 100000 gallons Of water.
! Encouraged by the excellent work IN
/ saving such a large waste OF water,
! the consumers being required 70 pay for
\ what they use, and. by the success Of
the pitometers and expert service in 10
eating leaks in broken mains. the Off
cials Of the department pushed the work
with vigor.
AS a result Of that campaign. IN the
early part of the present calendar year
10000 gallons daily waste was found.
An additional loss OF 100000 was stopped
al the Washington Navy Yard. In some
! cases leakage was the cause, while IN
many reckless waste prevailed.
Checked Just In Time.
Had the heavy Increase in the daily
consumption Of water that marked the
annual record from 1900 up to 1895 been
maintained to date. it would have
reached the enormous daily consumption
Of S1.OO0.0O0. LEAVING only sOO9OOO gallons
daily margin between the supply ca
pacity OF the aqueduCt and the de-
mands This surplus would have been
/ absorbed in less than two years, had
/ the ratio Of consumption increased as -
had in the past. and In less than three
! years the demand from consumption
would have been in excess Of the sup
ply capacity OF the aQueduct. This would
have been condition and not a theory
that Congress would have been forced
! 20 treat with heroic methods
The opinion has prevailed for years that
it would be necessary for Congress 70 pro
vide at least $.00O,O00 for the enlargement
Of the water supply. But the survey con-
lducted by Mai. Jay J. Morrow, Corps OF
Engineers, L. S. A., in charge OF the
Washington Aqueduct reported to the
Secretary Of War that. with the expendi-
| ture OF a small sum, the physical condi-
ton Of the conduit could be made TO last
for twenty years, and by the extension
OF the pitometer and water meter system
the present supply system would be equal
to all demands
Waste Cut Down.
But for the methods of economy in cut
ting down the abnormal waste of water
the report Of Maj Morrow would have
been a different one, and the extension Of
the service would have been a pressing
necessity.
II IS estimated there is an annual In
crease in population Of 5000 which in ten
years would amount TO 5000 consumers.
The highest per capita consumption was
IN 1904, when Il was 30 gallons. At the
present rate of consumption, with the
/ economies put IN force. II IS only rs gal
/ Ions Had the natural increase reached
/ 81 10000 gallons a day, the per capita
consumption would have been 235 gallons
! The receipts for the year 1900 were $349.
| 33901, which increased yearly by 100000.
until 1905. when the receipts fell TO 1896,
/ 1852. Expenses for the period from 1900
TO and including 1909 amounted TO $685.
OlSOS, among the expenditures being the
( constant extension OF the water main dis
! tribution service in the suburban sections
/ OF This sum s.. .337. COLT has been expended
in the installation Of the pipe and fire
( hydrants OF the high-pressume water
service.
System Is n Model.
With the general introduction Of meters
there will be a large reduction Of daily
consumption, and a corresponding de-
! crease in cost Of operation and main
! tenence. Washlngton's water supply and
distribution system are looked upon by
other municipalities as a model OF sue
cessful economic operation OF a public
utility under municipal ownership.
An aggregate estimate OF the value OF
the supply and distribution service, as an
asset. could not be obtained. for the rea-
son that three OF the largest and some
OF the smaller supply distribution mains
are the property Of the Federal govern
ment. operated by the District govern
ment. No record Of the value Of the
/ entire plant IS available.