Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-27

Patuxent river as a source and the
prompt metsring of all services. public
and private, are the principal topics con-
sidered in the annual report of Capt. w.
T. Hannum, the engineer officer in charge
Of the local water supply system. Esti-
mates are submitted for the publication
of the water supply by the construction
and operation of plant at the George
town reservoir for the preliminary treat
ment of the water supply during the fis-
cal year 1911. Capt. Hannum says that
by this treatment the sediment in the
raw water will be precipitated and settle
out at the Georgetown reservoir. 1t will
be necessary, however, to slightly re-
model the reservoir in order to aid in
the removal of the coagulated matter
Indorses Former Recommendation.
In advocating further surveys for in
creasing the water supply Of the District,
Capt. Hannum refers to the report on
that subject made by Maj. J. j. Morrow
in July last, in which the Patuxent river
was mentioned as possible source or
additional supply. Maj. Morrow advocated
prompt provision for the surveys, and
said that IL the Patuxent river project
were adopted the necessary legal pre-
liminaries possibly would add two years
to it's time Of completion over the time
necessary to complete the work for pro-
viding new conduit from Great Falls.
Capt. Hannum concurs in that opinion.
He says that the failure Of Congress to
provide for the prompt installation OF
meters on all services in the District, as
repeatedly urged, makes more urgent the
&c. I4x1 ,;y,fp mn @
sible the best method of increasing the
water supply, with view of submitting
to Congress, as soon as pTactlcable, an
estimate for beginning the construction OF
a new aQueduct.
IF the prompt installation of meters
shall be provided for in the District APP
preparation for the fiscal year of 1917, as
recommended by Maj. Morrow in his re-
port on increasing the water supply,
Capt. Hannum said, there will be no
need of submitting to Congress an esti-
mate for a new aqueduct. An estimate
is submitted, however, for completing the
investigations and surveys to determine
the availability and adaptability of the
Patuxent river as source of water sup
ply for the District of Columbia
Necessity for Installing Meters.
Can't. Hannum says that the necessity
for the prompt installation of meters is
the water supply Of the District" sub
mitted to Congress July 8, 1909. The
finding in that report that a new aque-
duct was not necessary at present was
based, said Capt. Hannum. on the
assumption that metering of all serv-
ices in the District would be immediate
ly provided for. In the appropriations
for the expenses of the District for the
fiscal year 1911 an appropriation was
made to meter the supply to certain
public buildings. An estimate is now
submitted to complete the installation
of meters on all the services to public
buildings, reservations or grounds. 1t
is urged that a larger appropriation De
made for the general installation OF
meters on all private water services,
under the engineer department OF the
District of Columbia.
while the work done by the engineer
department of the District to detect ana
prevent the waste of water Is hlghly
commendable and the results accomplish
ed are exceptional said Capt. Hannum.
"a study of the consumption OF water In
the District Of Columbia in its relation to
air temperatures has led the officer In
charge to conclude that the necessity Tor
the general and complete instalialoh oI
meters is still very urgent, not only to
remove the necessity of an expenditure Oh
four or five million dollars for the con-
struction of a new aqueduct, out also 10
remove the possibility of the consumption
of water exceeding the maximum ca
nacitv of the auueduct, which is still
likely to happen in case OF the recur-
renee of a period of cold weather similar
to that Of the winter of 19Ol-l9O5.
Volume of Water Consumed.
"The officer in charge has recomputed
the consumption of water for weekly
neriods from January, 1903. to October.
1oO5 based on the latest information on
tho hydraulics of the Washington aque-
duct From the results obtained 1T ap-
ne.rs that the average rate of consump-
ton of water for the month of April.
1904, was 57,2OO,OOO gallons per day.
..The average rate of conSumutlon Tor
AnriI 1910. was 5S.3OO.OOO gallons per
day. In the Investigations OF the con-
sumption Of water in relation 10 tenn
neratures it developed that in the months
of April and November the Temperatures
are such as not to affect the consumption
of water so that the consumption OF
water during these months forms falr
basis of comparison for different years
1t will be noted that the consumption
for April, 1910, was slightly higher than
for April, 1904 1t would be reasonable,
therefore, to expect that, If the winter
of 19lO-1911 should be similar to that or
l9O4-19O5, the consumption Will at least
eouaI the high consumption in February,
1908 when the demand exceeded the maxi
mum capacity of the aqueduct and
failure of the system to meet the de-
mands was threatened. unless the diff
ference between the present conditions
and those of 1904-19O5 is such as to
prevent a recurrence Of a threatened !
failure of supply to meet the demands |
These conditions are controlled by the |
number of water services metered and |
unmetered and the probable waste from |
4 metered service as compared with an |
service. !,
Metered Service Increased.
.'In 1905 there were 51.931 unmetered
and 2,1O4 metered services. At present
there are about 4s03s unmetered services
and about 1850 metered services. There
Continued on Ninth Page.)