The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1914-06-23

The water commissioner, John
Martinedis, reported to the coun
ell at their meeting on Saturday
evening that there was only
about three feet of water in the
reservoir and the hot season
when the big demand for water
comes has hardly started yet.
Upon inquiry he stated that the
water was much lower at this
Time than last year at The same
time and being asked for the
reason he stated that the citi-
zens were using a great deal
more. That since this time last
year he had put in iO7 new wa
ter connections.
He stated that the water sys-
tenn barely furnished water
enough for the use of the city
last year and he predicted tina,
wien the people began TO use
water to sprinkle their lawns and
gardens there would be awater
famine here.
He said that there was barely
water enough in the reservoir
now for the use Of the fire COM
pany in case a fire should break
out.
Some of the councilmen stated
that very much water was being
wasted here, some going sofar
as to state that there was as
much water wasted in the city as
was used for legimate purposes.
Councilman Trummel stated
that he knew of toilets where the
water was allowed TO run all OF
the time; that citizens would
start their sprinkling and allow
The water to runal night; that he
knew of parties who had box
arranged in their yard to keep
butter in and would have the wa
ter running in il all of the time:
that others would set their but
ter in the sink and allow the water
TO run all of The time to keep il
cool.
He also stated that great
deal of water was wasted by rea-
son of leaky taps and shut OF
valves.
He suggested that the water
commissioner be instructed To-
visit every place in the city and
investigate the mater and where
water was being wasted TO shut
il OFF until the owner should have
the necessary repairs made.
The danger the city would be
i'm if fire should break out with
The present inadequate water
supply was pointed out and the
mater seemed so serious lo the
council that a meeting of the
committee ON fire and water was
called for Monday evening TO try
and formulate plans for stopping
the waste of water.
At the meeting on Monday even
ing the committee discussed the
question of obtaining a greater
supply of water and decided that
it would be impossible TO do anv
thing at this time as any atempt
to enlargen the system would
take time and it could not be
made available to meet the pres
ent emergency.
The only thing that remained
was to take some steps to do
away with the waste that was go
ing on and TO adopt some means
to conserve The present supply.
The clerk was instructed to
prepare a notice or comunica-
ton setting forth the inadequacv
of the present supply and the ne
city of conservation and urging
the cooperation Of the property
owners and citizens generally in
the efforts of the council to pre-
vent a waste of water.
II was decided that the provi-
sions of ordinance No. 10, re-
lating to the use of water must
be strictly enforced, especially
that part relating to sprinkline.
II was decided to limit the hours
of sprinkling to from 6 to8 a. m.
for business houses and from 6
to 8 p. m. for residences and to
enforce the provisions that the
hose must be held in the hand
while sprinkling.
II was also determined TO en-
force tho ordinance in regard to
waste OF water and to instruct
water commissioner and police
/ force 10 examine fvl,,,oe and