Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-03
URGES ADDITIONAL
SUPPLY Of WATER
Capital Must Have 1t by 1880,
Declares Supt. MacfarIand
in Report.
AIMS AT STILL FURTHER
ECONOMICS IN ITS USE
Hopes to Reduce Per Capita Con-
sumption to 130 Gallons-Year's
Work Cost sex, ,354.06.

Provision should be made to insure
the availability of an additional water
supply for Washington by not later
than 1880. This is the principal recon-
! mendation contained in the annual res
port of w. A. Macfarland. superintend-
ent of the water department. transmit
ted to the Commissioners today. It's
Importance can scarcely be exagger-
ated, he states.
Important economies in water con-
sumption have been effected, the report
shows. and a still further per capita
saving is anticipated. Since 1905 there
has been per capita decrease of from
227 to 152 gallons-a saving of 80 per
cent.
Assuming" states the report, that
the per capita can finally be reduced to
130 gallons further reduction of
twenty-five gallons, or 14k per cent
and that the population Increases at
about the same rate as in the past. the
mean daily consumption would equal
the safe mean capacity of the conduit
in 1880. when the population of the
District would be about 100000"
Waste Greatly Curtailed.
Discussing the progress made in re-
ducing water consumption, the report
states:
Radical measures to curtail waste
were taken in 1906, when the mean
daily rate had reached 100000 gall
Ions and the per capita about 227 gal
Ions. These measures consisted in the
extensive installation of meters, sys-
tematic underground surveys to locate
and remedy leaks and careful house in
spection.
The great need of such steps is evil
cent when 1t is remembered that the
sa1e mean rate of flow in the only
conduit supplying the city is about
oo,ooo gallons daily. This mean rate
and was reached in 1905 Up to 1896
1t was increasing rapidly.
since 1905 there has been an almost
continuous decrease in the amount of
the past fiscal year the mean daily rate
was about 54,00O,0O0 gallons. and the
per capita rate l5z gallons
Fast experience seems to indicate
may be reached by a vigorous con
tlnuance OF waste preventive meas
ures. Steps certainly should be taken
TO insure the availability of an addi-
tionaf supply not later than 1890"
Work Done Cost $766, ,354.oe.
The total cost Of the work done by
siie "oeci department last year was
$166,354.0G, of which about so per cent
was for new work in extension of plant,
"a per cent for operation and the re-
mainder for repairs and repIacements,
Total length of mains of all sizes laid
during the year was 9S.46O feet, or 1876
miles, at cost Of s1s1,3O3.S7. This
brings the total length of mains in the
District up to 3,120.4 400 feet or SCI miles.
Dur1ng the last fiscal year the depart
ment installed S,555 meters, bringing
the total number III use June 80 Ia,
up to 42,161.
Attached to the superintendent's re-
port Is the report of George w. Wal
lace, water register. This presents in
detail the meterfng work done during
the year. It also states that during the
hScal twelve months just closed 55.368
examinations for leaks were made:
1000 service pipes, taps and curb
cocks located and 1897 new service con-
nections established