Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-03
The Gree" Water Plant.

The statement that the United States
gave the District its water service equip
ment free. made in connection with the
proposed increase in water rate. Is not
quite true 1t is true that after the gov
eminent had installed plant for its own
purposes, at a cost of about S4,3oO,0O0. il
permitted the District to use the surplus
water as municipal supply. on the spe-
cfic understanding that this service was
not TO be employed as a source OF reVe-
nue.. To the extent that the original
plant was the sole source of supply the
District did get its water free. as regards
the cost of initial installation. although
II Maid i'm water rates sufficient sum to
maintain the distribution to the govern
ment as well as itself. But the free
plant originally given is not the plant OF
today. The District paid one-half of the
cost of the Lydecker extension the tun-
mel from Georgetown to the Howard Uni
versity and the reservoir at the latter
point The cost of that work was $4.-
$4,000, one-half of which. $2,Ol6oOO.
came from the pockets OF the District
taxpayers. Then, again, half of the
three million four-hundred- and sixty-eight
thousand dollar, filtration plant, or ST. 3d.
90, came from the District as well. So
that out of total expenditure on the
initial plant account Of s11.S11,OOO the
District has paid s., 40, 500, or 81 per
cent.
In another respect the proposition that
the District has been given its water
supply free fails upon examination. Year
after year it has paid more In water
rates than the cost of distribution and
maintenance for the entire system. in
Guiding the cost of the governments own
service. Take, for instance, the fiscal
YEAR which ended June 80. 1910. The
total revenues of the water department
from rates. assessments and charges for
miscellaneous equipment were 5000, 80.
The cost of operating that year was W.
6Se so. with sundry payments on the re-
pairs replacements and refundings to the
United States Treasury on the meter ac-
count, and with expenditure of 1884,
051O for new work" This means new
mains and connections of all kinds,
chargeable properly on the capital ac-
count, but maintained out of the current
revenues. This has been going on for
many years. until the District has put
into the water plant a sum probably
more than equal to that expended by the
United States in the installation Of its
own system
The Commissioners Indicate fear lest
the broaching of the subject of new con-
duit to Congress might precipitate the
suggestion that the District pay half the
cost. Considering the fact that Congress-
without any initiative on the part of the
District, mulcted the local treasury for
half of the cost of the Lydecker mis-
takes and accomplishments. and then
half the cost of the filtration plant the
benefit of which the government itself
enjoys, it would seem to be rather an
unnecessary hardship upon the District
water users to compel them to pay one
third more for their water in order to
continue the metering, the effect of which
is to lessen their use and enjoyment of
the service. SO to postpone the day
when the District will be given an album
dant supply.
Why should the District Commissioners
be 50 sensitive about asking Uncle Sam
to bear half the cost of establishing me-
tiers. which are much for his benefit
for that of the District? If meters
are needed now 20 decrease the consump-
ton in order 10 render a new conduit
less requisite, il is as much to the in
terest of the United States of the
District to install them. Would il not
be just we'll for the Commissioners to
take the District point of view in this
matter and 10 urge il as vigorously as
possible instead of adopting the federal
position, regardless of the equities due
10 the capital community?