Arizona republican., 1912-08-13
Washington Approves Plan of Local Officials to Make Charges on Exact Amount of Water Used on Acre Per Year
WILL ELIMINATE
 MUCH WASTE
Graded Scale of Charges Result of Careful Obser- vation of Test Plots of Land; Water Cost Cut Down by Little Care

| The local reclamation office received yesterday the approved contract form l from Washington under which water l will be delivered after the First of | October Heretofore the year has been 1 divided into two seasons, and water sold at rates of $1.00 for the winter and | 50 cents the summer. Beginning with l the official new years day, October 1st i the charge will be assessed according to the exact amount of fluid used on each acre each year.
 There are several reasons for the 1 change, chiefly a matter of economy. 1 The man who turns on the water and !! goes to sleep, allowing his land to ir- rigate itself will find it cheaper to hire a watchman than let the waves pour into his fields unheeded. The farmer i has always watered his crops at his own discretion. The liquid was deliv- cred as the individual judgment decid- ed, and in many cases the result was over use of the service. Waste was not taken care of as it should be and the careless and excessive use of water 1 was found to be not only harmful to the land. but poor economy to the wa- l ter suppliers.
 l The new contracts will have the ter1- dency to equalize the land footing in l the eyes of the reclamation service. The elimination of two seasons, sys- | tenn that is clumsy as we'll conducivs 1 to waStefuI practices, is another bene- ficial feature of the per acre foot ! charge To the careful and economical water user the new rate will be a iit- tie cheaper, and to those who use q great deal of water, a check on over use and an added revenue for the as- sociation.
 The year will commence as hereto fore on October 1st. It will extend to the last of September, so there will ba but one days work settling up pay- ments and ordering a new supply. The rate of $1.5O will be charged for the minimum of three acre feet per year. | By Form three of the contract, ef- l fective for lands not signed up in the 1 water users association the rate is s1S0 For additional water, that in excess of the three acre feet, the charge l of 15 cents per quarter acre foot will be made; for the second quarter acre foot, 20 cents: for the third and any l fraction tkereof. 25 cents and so for the fourth quarter B cents. That means any man who needs more than the reg ular service of three acre feet per year l can buy his excess water at advanced rates, so graded as to increase for each | additional quarter acre foot or part thereof That scale holds equally for lands of the three classes A." "B, ;" and "C" The charges for unsigned l land will be $1.S0 for the first three acre feet, 20 cents for the first addi- tional quarter acre foot, or lesser frac- tion. 9 cents, 30 cents and 40 cents for the other three deliveries.
 The new form will be in use at the coming year end and at that time alf users of water must make application as per the recently approved contract.
 The new system has been worked out bv the reclamation officials. A great deal of land on both sides of the river has been used experimentally to deter mine the amount of water to keep it in good shape. and from the immense VOL ume of data, the rates were evolved and sent to Washington for the ap- proval of the interior department. It was found necessary by MT. Adams. first assistant secretary of the interior to change but one item. That charge was increased slightly in the toll on un- signed land On August 2, the docu- ments were signed and returned to the local office with the full concurrence of the higher up officials.
 The tables arranged by the service concerning the rates on irrigation un-
 der the new contract, show land can be kept wet at practically no advance in price In many cases it was not found necessary to use the full amount upon which a flat rate is charged. In case there is a need for more than three acre feet of water, the excess is not very considerable The fourth acre foot
 on signed land costs but 95 cents ex-
 tra. making the full assessment on an acre $2.45 per year.
 The form of contract, which met the favor of the secretary is printed In
 full, as it may prove of interest to those making application this fall:
 1. I hereby apply for irrigation wa- ter during the yearly season, com mencing October 1, 19-, and ending September 30, 19-, upon--------- Sec, T., R., c. & s. R. B. & M.. containing acres of IT. rigable land. said application being made subject to the following condi- tions:
 2. The charge for water service
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