Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-23
WATER PROBLEM
IS DISCUSSED At
PEOPLE MEETING
MuIhoIIand Reports 18,000-InCh
Surplus to Sell and
Suggests Plan
PRICE SCALE IS ARGUED
Pasadena in Market Says Mayor
Farley; Power Matter
to Come Later
PRICE SCALE IS ARGUED

Nearly $50 persons accepted the In
vitation of the city council and at
tended the meeting last night in the
council chamber to discuss methods
of disposing of Owens river water
William Mulholland chief engineer of
the aqueduct, has calculated that
there are $4,000 inches of surplus water
to sell, and how to dispose of that
to the best advantage was the subject
the meeting considered last night
The meeting was a joint session of
the city council, water board, advisory
committee of the aqueduct and the
board of public works. at which per-
sons Interested in the subject were in
Vited to participate.
The interested ones did all the par
ticipating, for no member of any of
the official bodies, except William Null
holland, had anything to say.
Mayor Alexander presided and A. r.
Baker clerk of the supply committee,
acted as secretary. When this organ
ization was completed Councilman w.
J. Washburn moved for a committee
of three on order of business, with
the mayor as a member. The mayor
appointed Councilmen Lusk and Whit
fen to act with him. This committee
concluded to take up the report made
by Mulholland as a basis for argu-
ment.
I0lS report was d Settles O1 SuBB6S'
tions of engineering features and pos
sible prices for water distributed to
neighboring municipalities and agricul-
tural lands.
MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS
Mr.. Mulhol1and's recommendations
were embodied in the following state
ment:
primarily the Los Angeles aque-
| duct was built to supplement the
water supply of the city of Los An
| geles. The investigation of the avail
able supply in the Owens river valley
| led to the conclusion that a capacity
| of 10000 inches was warranted by
| reason of the fact, first, that this
! quantity of water could be obtained
and second, that the city of Los An
| geles and the surrounding country
could easily use that much in their
future development The larger the
aqueduct could be built, the more
cheaply could any unit quantity of
water be delivered by it. Hence. the
aqueduct was designed to carry the
full quantity that might, with GER
tainty, be available.
1.-THE present water supply of the
city of Los Angeles amounts to about
65, ,000,0 900 gallons a day, which might
be reduced, by the occurrence of few
drv wears in succession, to a less
The largest demand of the present
year amounted to 54,250.000 gallons per
day, which occurred on the 10Th day
of July, 1910.
"It may be assumed that the demand
for water for municipal use will in
crease in direct proportion to the pop
ulation Assuming an average per
capita consumption the year round of
140 gallons a day, and an increment
in population OF $4,000 per annum, the
amount of water consumed each year
by the city in excess of the previous
year is 100000 gallons day, or about
1852 inches
the city of Los Angeles serve an area
of about $4,000 acres. AS the aver
age daily consumption is about 40,000,-
600 gallons, or 30S6 miners inches, 1t
will be seen that an inch of water
serves TIT acres OF the cfty's area. If
we assume that this whole area is
about two-thirds built up, we arrive
at the figure of a little over five acres
to one inch.
"As the population of a city be-
comes more dense, the per capita con-
sumption becomes, with proper re-
strictions in the way OF meters, etc,
much less, and according to our ex-
perience may fall as low as 80 or 40
gallons per capita per day in the con-
gested areas. Also, it may be stated
that as the city extends its area the
sparsely settled districts will in gen.
eral bear the same proportion to the
congested districts as when the city
was smaller.
WATER SURPLUS CONSIDERED
'"The purpose Of these statements is
to demonstrate that in disposing of
the surplus water it should be kept
in mind that the territory served
should be adjacent to the city and
capable of final absorption by annex
alton. Should this be done, no reason
would ever arise for severing the
water from the land to which 1t would
be applied as the process of assim-
ilation would completely settle the
question.
''rThe happy coincidence that a com
plete cultivation of the average lands
in Southern California, other than
those in the damp areas, requires at
least one inch to seven and one-half
acres. makes the solution of this prob
lem an easy one, as 1t will not mat
ter ultimately whether the lands are
used for urban or agricultural pur-
poses, as the water applied will al
ways remain In sufficient quantity for
either use.
"The financial aspect of the ques-
ton, however, is capable OF many diff
ferent constructions. The question
may be asked: Is it proper for the city
of Los Angeles to incur the great in
debtedness necessary to build the Los
Angeles aqueduct without the expec-
fancy of other return than that de-
rived from the sense of security In
her water supply and the development
and increased productiveness, with all
incidental benefits. of her surround
ing country; or. should she require the
country so directly benefited to con-
tribute in some part toward the cost
of the project?
Assuming that the city has enough
water from its present sources to sup
plv the needs of the area now supplied,
and that 1000 inches additional to that
will amply care for the area not now
Continued On Page FOul