The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-01-01
AN OFFICIAL
INVESTIGATION.
Legislators May Inquire Into the
Rates Charged by Municipal and
Private Waterworks Plants
In Iowa Cities.
MUNICIPAL RATE HIGH
Usage Consumers Pay Ninety Cents
Per Thousand Gallons for serw
Ice, certevllle Fifty
Cents.
MUNICIPAL RATE HIGH
Especial to The Gate City.1

Especial to The Gate City.J
DIES MONIES, Iowa, Jan An Of
fetal Investigation may be ordered by
the general assembly which convenes
here January IL to discover why
municipality owned waterworks plants
in Iowa cities and towns have to
charge more for service than the
private owned plants, as is disclosed
by the 1912 report OF the auditor OF
state In the department Of municipal
accounts, just issued.
Municipal experts whose attention
has been called to the report contend
that careful investig CATION should be
made, not by a committee of polite
ians, but by a trained corps Of expert
economists, probably selected from
the economic department Of the state
university and other institutions OF
learning. This examination, If made,
they say, should take into considera-
ton every cost Of operation, includ-
ing taxes levied to pay bonds and in
terest thereon, deterioration OF plants,
cost of rehabilitation, etc., and should
MA6A COlAplOlOQ SlOW Ond AuullANhPeeA
/ tiles just where they stand.
| According to Auditor Of State
Bleakley's report the highest price
raid for water anywhere in the state
I is to the municipal plant at Usage
where consumers have to pay ninety
cents per thousand gallons. The
highest price for water from any
privately owned plant Is charged at
Centerville and is only fifty cents per
thousand.
The average price of water from
! the privately owned plants in Iowa
1864 cents per thousand gallons. OF
the sixty-fve publically owned sys-
tens reporting to the auditor twenty
four charged 40 cents, six charge SO
!, cents and three charge GO cents or
more per thousand gallons.
4 During the year number of mum
licipal plants found it necessary to in
crease rates and several reduced
prices. Boone and Maquoketa each
reduced one cent per thousand gal
lions, the former making its rate &C
!, cents instead Of 81 cents. Newton
and Storm Lake each reduced prices
S cents per thousand. Anamosa re-
6uced its price 20 cents per thousand.
!, On the other hand Ames and Man
chester found it necessary to Increase
their rates 33 1-S per cent, boosting
the price to 40 cents, this being four
NJ nriv9fpIV
iowned plants. The town Of DEBORAH
!, increased rates so per cent, while, ac-
!, cording to the official report, Lake
City increased It's tolls to its patrons
900 per cent.
J, Ida Grove decreased the individual
charge to citizens by 20 cents per
!, thousand, hut saddled the savings
back in the shape of an increase OF
!, SO 1-3 per cent in the taxes collected
for hydrant rentals. Spencer did the
, same thing, decreasing its price five
q cents per thousand gallons and In
: creasing its hydrant rate 33 Is pei
, cent. Denison, the home of Leslie
3 NJ. Shaw, increased its hydrant renta
i from s45 to S72 each. The average
hydrant rental of the private plants
s is S44 per year.
g Another interesting subject for tbs
/. proposed economic committee will be
! the study of the varied differences II
S the cost of operation of municipal
plants. According to the auditors re
O port Dubuque with a population OF 3s,
+ 600 operates an 100000 water plan
\ at a salary cost of s3,476, while Ced
v ar Rapids with population OF 32,0O
! pays $500 for the operation of
/. 100000 plant. Muscatine with IT,
! 900 people pays $3.50 for the opera
o ton OF a 100000 plant, and For
r. Dodge with 10000 people and a 5000
600 plant pays out only s1,5OO In sa
s aries. No figures are given for tn
II operation charges OF private plants.
g. Council Bluffs changed from PRIV
i. ate ownership to public ownership
. hut no reduction in prices followed.
n It is believed here that an invest
d CATION by competent economists woul
e he Of great benefit to Iowa towns an
". cities in framing their future. poiicie
n. and to the legislature in considerin
n the enactment OF laws affectln
,e municipal government.