El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-06
CITY WATERW0RKS PAYS EXPENSES
AND LEAVES BALANCE OF 81 ,946SB
Purchase of Water Works by City Proves Profitable In
vestment; Water Supply Comes From Deep Wells
on Mesa Which Provide Ample Quantity of
Purest Water at ALI Times.

ing plant on the mesa % wells have
been sunk to a depth Of soc feet each
to an underground strata of water com
ing from the mountains of New Mexico,
a distance of probably 100 miles or
more through beds Of sand and gravel.
the most perfect of natural filters, and
is forced by compressed air directly
into the mains, through which II flows
by gravity into the service pipes which
gridirOn the city at a pressure of 80
pounds to the square inch. sufficient to
carry it to the top Of the highest build
ing and adding greatly to the efficiency
OF the fire department
Capacity 100000 Gallons
The present capacity of the plant on
the Mesa is 100000 Of gallons every
"A hours. though the rate of consump-
ton, based upon the actual amount
pumped during 1914, was but little
over one-third of that amount, or, to
be exact, 4,lO5, 437 gallons per day. This
is distributed through 632, 645 feet of
mains, running from one inch to "A
inches in diameter, to 1918 actual con-
sumers, an increase Of 1000 consumers
over the number served during the
year 1913. OF service pipe lines, from
mains to meters, there are 170,640 feet
laid in the city.
For Fire Purposes.
In addition to this direct service
there are two reservoirs in the city,
one Of 100000 gallon capacity and
announcer MLLn q capacity OF AroulaVNU
gallons, which are kept filled bT
means of overflow from the general
service pipe. for use in case Of a great
fire or any other occurrence, which
might be the occasion for the use Of
vast amount of water.
These storage reservoirs were in
tended for use in case Of fire, but, not
since they were built and filled, has
there been fire sufficiently large to
necessitate the turning Of the water
from these reservoirs into the pipes,
No Need for Them.
Superintendent W. E Race Of the
water department, Is authority for the
statement that at no time since the
plant has been in operation at its
present capacity has there been any
demands made upon il which taxed,
in the slightest degree, the capacity OF
the pumps
In order to be sure that there might
be no lack of water in case Of a great
cOnflagratiOn, the old Waterworks.
known as Watts wells are kept in
present indications are that there can
be no occasion for the starting Of the
Watts pump.
May Park Reservoir sites.
As set forth in an article on the
city's parks published elsewhere in
this issue of this newspaper. mention
is made Of the fact that at some time
in the near future. the city may CON
vert the reservation at the main pump
ing plant of the water works and the
sites of the reservoir into public parks
The conversion of the latter into beauty
spots is already in mind.
Both reservoir sites lend them
selves admirably to conversion into
beautiful little parks. at very small
expense At the larger of the reser-
vOirs splendid opportunity Is afforded
for the construction of grottoes. sunk
en- gardens and ferneries which would
be much admired and their accessibility
would no doubt make them the rem
devious of thousands who would de-
light of a summer evening. in getting
ava from the heat and dust Of the
downtown district.
improvements Last Year
During the year 1914 new service
pipe was laid by the Water works
department at a cost Of S3,395.79- New
work contemplated to be done during
the present year will total, approx
mately a similar amount.
The total value Of the water works
plant counting real estate. buildings
machinery, fixtures. equipment, distri-
button system, including mains, ny
drants, meters and livestock and We
hicles, is placed at s1,459.75T.5S