Evening star., 1911-09-01
One Way for District to Avoid
Cost of Aqueduct.
EXPENSE OF THE SERVICE
Increase in Rates Probable, But Re-
duced Consumption.
MAJ. JUDs0N PRESENTS VIEWS
Cost to Most Householders May Not
Be Appreciably Advanced,
He Believes.

The District must meter the water sold
to consumers or face the alternative at a
comparatively early date OF spending
100000 in the construction Of a new
aqueduct.
This is the problem confronting District
officials. and the reason back Of the pro-
posed increase in water rates. according
to a statement made today by Engineer
Commissioner Judson
Plainly indicating that the Commits
sioners are not desirous Of recommending
at any time soon an appropriation with
which to build new aaueduct, Commis-
soner Judson's statement is believed to
indicate that the District heads are in
clined now to be in favor of an increase
in water rates with the object of meter
ing the service.
Water Free to District.
Because the District is being furnished
water free by the federal government the
Commissioners, it is said, are opposed to
asking for an appropriation with which to
build an aqueduct. fearing that Congress
would endeavor to saddle the entire cost
OF the improvement upon the District.
To charge consumers, on a meter basis.
for the quantity of water used, 1t is
pointed out, will result in reducing the
total consumption and the present aque-
duct will be large enough for the present
needs. Unless some such check is placed
on the consumption, ii is held, larger
or an additional aqueduct will be neces-
sary.
But there is ray of hope for most
water consumers in Maj. Judson's state
ment. Should the increase in rates be-
come effective it would be felt only to a
slight degree by those whom he terms
most householders. Eventually the
rates would be the same as now, the
Commissioner declared.
Outline Of the Plan.
The plan contemplated for increasing
the water revenues is to retain the pres
ent minimum meter rate. which is $3.50
per annum, and reduce the ma ximum
consumption. which is permissible at this
rate. An investigation Is being made to
determine whether this scheme is prac-
tica bic.
Commissioner Judson, who returned to
Washington yesterday after vacation
spent at Warm Springs, Va, gave the
water rates raise question a great deal
OF study during his absence. He practi-
cally has decided in favor Of the proposed
probability that the Commissioners will
take up the question this month and at
tempt to reach an early decision.
Supt. w. A. Mcfarland Of the water de-
partment has been asked to prepare a
report on methods for putting the pro-
posed increase in rates into effect, and
Mr.. Mcfarland is making an investiga-
ton to determine whether sufficient
fund for metering purposes can be OBJ
tained from an increase in rates which
meter rate but would reduce the maxi
mum consumption under that rate.
AS soon as the superintendent report
is In. the Commissioners. 1t is believed.
will endeavor to reach a decision In the
matter without further delay.
Judson Suggests Methods.
Accentuating the fact that it would be
unfair and unreasonable to ask Congress
the water that the government is giving
the District, Maj. Judson enumerated
the various ways by which the proposed
metering of the service could be brought
about.
There are four methods that may be
employed, he stated. Either an appro-
priation will have to be secured on the
half-and-half plan; the money Will have
to come from the general revenues of the
District; the present water rates Will
have to be increased, or all consumers
will be compelled to install meters al
their own expense.
ITO ask for an appropriation on the
half -and-half plan." said Maj. Judson
would be to ask Congress. which has
given the water free, to pay one-half of
the cost of metering it's consumption. 1t
is hardly to be believed that we would be
willing to ask the United States to do
that. 1t probably is less to be believed
that the United States would be willing
to make the contribution"
The employment of either of the last
three methods, according to Maj. Judson,
would place the cost of metering the
service upon the people Of the District.
Cost to the Consumer.
he asserted, to charge the cost to those
persons who use tine Districts water
supply rather than to citizens generally,
many of whom have no water supply, but
would be asked to pay for metering a
service used by others.
.'There are decided objections to COM
pelling all citizens to install their own
meters" said the Commissioner. For
example it would cost more. The meters
would not be uniform in character or
excellence. Experience In other cities
leads to the belief that the District
should install the meters"
Speaking of the plan contemplated for
effecting the increase in rates, Maj. Jud-
son said
1T is anticipated that the new rates
can be so fixed that the meters can be
secured without necessarily increasing the
cost of water to most households. 1t is
thought that this can be accomplished by
retaining the present minimum rate,
which is $3.50 per annunl, reducing, how
ever, the maximum consumption permls-
sble at this rate.
The effect of the change of rates
contemplated would be to provide a
large revenue during the next few
years, during which time the meters
could be installed. and to reduce the
consumption of water. thus making
more distant the day when $4,000.00O
would have to be invested in new
aqueduct.
"Finally. the effect would be to give
water to most householders. IL
economical use Is made of It, at the
rates which now prevail
There are about $4,000 water serv-
ices in the District. of which $4,000
are now metered, according to figures
compiled recently by Supt. Mcfarland.
In order to keep up with the normal
extensions, 1t is said. from $500 to
1000 meters must be installed each
year
Not since 1904 has the daily demand
for water been greater than the supply
Of the Conduit. The conduit has ca.
pacity Of $4,000. 600 gallons day. where
as the average daily consumption of the
District Is 0O,OO0.OOO gallons. In addition
to this there Is a reserve supply of 600.
OO0 OOO gallons in the Georgetown, Dale
carlia and Mcmillan Park reservoirs.
The Commissioners believe that the
metering of the water service will make
the present supply Of water SUFFICIENT for
| q number OF years.
II the proposed increase In rates II or
! dered It will go into effect July l, 1912.