South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-07-01
BOARD IS ADVISED TO
CHANGE WATER RULES
Receives Communication From
Indiana Commission Sug-
costing One Paragraph Be
Changed.

AZ an adjourned meeting Of the
board OF public works held Tuesday
evening st the city hall. the question
OF the revision % rules for water ser
vice by the water works department
Of the city was again taken up. Sew
erzl weeks ago the revision was pass
ed by the board TO go into effect We'd
nesday. July l. Following the adOp-
ton Of the new revision TO the water
works rules for service 10 the con-
suTners, a copy was sent 20 the public
service commission OF indiana at In
dianapolis. No word was received
from the commission until Tuesday
when a communication arrived from
that body.
The communication was read at
the meeting Of the board and stated
in part:
The commission begs to advise that
paragraph three Of the certified copy
IS a positive discrimination and can
not be allowed by this commission
We beg to quote as follows:
when the party making applica-
tion for the water service is the owner
OF the property where the connection
is 20 be made. or is the owner of other
real estate in the city, a deposit guar
anteeing the payment Of future water
bills will not be required. In case the
party making application is not re-
sponsible free holder a deposit de-
pending on whether the service is for
residence or business, Will be re-
quired. In addition to this deposit
responsible property owner will be re-
uuired 10 sign as surety for the pay
ment of all unpaid water bills. The
agreement between the applicant and
the city that in case he desires TO dis
continue his surety he snail give no
tice in writing 10 the warer works Of
4 l.. r~gNU L. 10
sible for the payment o. water bills
against the service in Question
Herein we find A discrimination.
You must serve al people exactly
alike. no matter whether he be a
property owner or not. If YOU estab-
lish the rule OF asking "A deposit for
payment of future water bills, each
and every man or woman. regardless
of the fact OF whether they be prop
erty owners OF not, must comply with
this rule"
Paragraph three will be revised to
read as the commission suggests.
Owing 10 the great amount OF work
necessary 20 change over the system.
II is probable that 10 will not go into
effect until about Aug. /. Under the
meter system each subscriber to the
department for water service will be
required 20 make a deposit of 81 for
resident service After the deposit
hiss been made six months interest to
the amount of four per cent viii be
given the depOsitor so that in this way
the money will be merely used as a
surety and the party making the de-
posit will receive the same percent
age as II the money had been placed
in the bank Under the present sys-
TEN the party receiving service is re-
quired 10 pay S12. year In advance
for the water service with no interest
providing he does not use the full
amount OF water.
The board passed resolution
Tuesday evening recommending that
the council revise ordinance No. 400 TO
state that the Lake Shore and South
ern Michigan railroad company be
conpeIled to station a Waterman at
the Laurel St crossing and TO retain
the bell for night warning purposes.