The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-01-16
Water Company Cuts OFF the
Supply Of Water at the City
Reservoir
THE GREAT WASTE
CT THE FLAT RATE
CONSUMERS A CAUSE

Waste OF Half a Million Gallons Made
the Supply Smaller Than the Con-
~ About It-Other View Criticises
the Insuflicicncy of the Flow Rather
Than the Action in Cutting 1t Of
Break of Weather May Clear Things
Up.
From . o'clock last night until 5
this morning the city's water supply
was cut of and the consumers were
~distraught as they have been but few
times recently.
The Wake Water Company indicat-
ed its intention to do something Of this
nature several days ago and Friday
sent out circular letters to put the
city on It's guard. Yesterday it became
publicly known that this was to be
done and a wall Of water backs
came into this olfic,. and hat Of the
water company, protesting against this
action. The hotels declared that a
famine would hurt them and some in
StitutionS which must run all night
threatened an injunction if it hap
pened, that this cutting off would Grip
pie their business.
mayor Johnson vas appealed to,
hnd that gentleman. who is a Ole
water official at all times, agreed with
superintendent Ernest Balm that ,e
was pursuing the proper course. When
interviewed by this paper Mr.. john
son declared that he thought it a
less objectionable thing than such a
waste of Upfpr DC u-o,xl3 ,r;oD1 49,
cltys fire lighting should it turn out
that an emergency Of this nature
would arise. He agreed that this
course held out feWcst objections.
When seen At his office. Mr.. Balm
issued this candid public statement
which he said he made to al the in
dlVldualS that he could reach by mail
ana otherwise: Several days ago,
when the first real cold began We
hoticed liz diminishing supply Of wa
Ter and upon inquiry found out the
trouble. THE fear OF bur1ed water
pipes ana the dread Of plumbing bills
had caused hundreds Of people tc
open their pipes and to allow them &c
run all night. We sounded the warn.
ing n begged them TO stop n Va,
ray not know it. hut there are / 90t
consumers on the fiat rate. Tt IS from
these that h trouble has come. The,
open all their sOi@ots, not all of then,
Of course, and they run cease}esslv
The waste of water has been NOR,
than 100000 gallons a dav. This add
to the legitimate CONSUMPTION. create,
an 1nadeGn3cy that continued col,
weather made moro threatening. unit
1 nave ordered the supply cut off un
til 5 O'Clock tomorrow morning.
hope no more drastic measure Wi
hccOre necessary.
"Th" normal flow OF water fror
Walr-- Creek to our reservoir &c /,
700 O"a gallons daily. This come
ron@h a pipe eighteen inches for { y
first 5000 feet. and fourteen inches &c
the last 1000. Our reservoir hO1f
2,0O0.0h0 gallons more than a Gay
pumping. We have q pumping &c
pacitv OF $500, 600. bat our intake
not that. OF course. In the nature {
things, the consumption of water
the ummer is far greater thar il
in the winter. Yet. with vinff
weather on us and in the und
CT care. thousands OF cut-offs in US
the waste OF water is more than v
are able to bring into our reserve;
and the situation is alarming.
You must know that less water
consumed in the night than in !,
day. The hotels are quiet. busino
house are shut up. residences ara =
49, 'iu - VIII HOuiO nn IIIr
up. Instead of that. the vast &c
great that the altitude Of the wat
is lower in the mornings than at mig
by many inches. and this IS q coff
Ito that cannot be looked upon
trivial
lt was suggested to Mr.. Balm In
n attack upon the fro
the public was not upon the ACT
cutting off the water, SO much nc
was upon its slender means tor p1
Yiding water: that its action was y
criticised because it was arbitrary
G dangerous, but because il x
rendered necessary by lack OF 90
quate equipment.
To this he replied: I'VE have nex
had a water famine here until c,
laid His han upon I
streams and almost dried tn.
up. The same criticism q
abuse were then heapaiIupon