Evening star., 1915-12-08

use of water in federal buildings for
condensing and cooling. purposes. As
there is no direct charge against fed
eral departments for water delivered to
them. the cost of the water is seldom
| taken into consideration when addi-
tions are made to the mechanic equip
ment in such buildings. and, with an
unlimited supply Of water available
without cost. there is no incentive to
conserve the supply by the use of cool
ing devices. One of the public buildings
has present consumption of about
! 100000 gallons per day. and OF this
| but 100000 gallons is used for domestic
purposes by the employees. II the con-
| sumption OF water at this building Is
maintained at this rate. its annual
water bill, based on the rate charged
| private consumers. would be in excess
| of $46.000. AS we are steadily ap-
l'proaching the capacity of the present
Washington aqueduct, it is important
| that steps be taken to prevent such use
of water as involves an economic waste
! Water Revenues and Expenditures.
| The water revenues from all sources
during the year. including balance of
| $33,444.53 brought forward from the
previous year, amounted to S763.020.14.
The expenditures for the year amount
ed to $619.S6s.S5. The outstanding net
liabilities on June 80. 1915. amounted
| to $48,670.90. leaving a working balance
to the department on that date OF $685.
923.40. OF the total cost of work done
during the year AZ per cent was for
new work in extension of plant. Al per
cent for operation. Is per cent for gen.
eral repairs. and per cent for re-
placements.
Water is furnished free to churches.
| hospitals, orphan asylums, schools and
| charitable institutions, under authority
of law. to the extent of 1s.31s.S20 cubic
feet This is based on a per capita al
lowance Of from so to 100 gallons per
day. depending on the character of the
| institutions. All water in excess of that
This excess of allowance amounted to
7,397,6S0 cubic feet during the year.
Water Meters.
During the year there were installed
6,44s meters. making the total number
In service June 80, 1915, 4S,411. The
| total number of water services is 6S,-
365. and of these 80 per cent remain
yet unmetered. 1t is estimated that the
metering of the city will be completed
| in the summer of 1918. The average
cost of installing meters by the District
OF Columbia during the year was $1053,
was $4.85. The rate charged for water
on meter services during the year was
cents per 100 cubic feet for all used
in excess of $500 cubic feet The mini
mum charge for 1900 cubic feet is $3.50
per annum. The average annual pay
ment where meters were installed by
the District of Columbia was $5.51.
Water rent bills are delivered to the
householder annually at the minimum
rate, which allows the use of 1900
cubic feet, or $500 gallons. and If on
actual measurement water is found to
be used in excess of this amount bills
are rendered for such excess at the rate
| Of cents per 100 cubic feet
On the water services which are not
metered water for domestic purposes
is charged according to the number of
stories and frontage. For premises of
| two stories with front width of 16
feet or less the minimum rate is IS per
| annum; for each additional front foot or
fraction thereof 81 cents is charged.
For each additional story one-third of
the charges as computed above is add
ed. For business premises not metered
rates vary from 81 to $25 per annum.
Where the rate is $25 or more a meter
pense of the consumer.
Transfer Of Washington Aqueduct.
| Under present law the control over
the water supply and distribution sys-
TENS OF the District of Columbia is
divided between the chief of enei-
neers. United States Army, acting un-
der the direction of the Secretary of
War. and the Commissioners of the
District OF Columbia. The chief of
engineers has Jurisdiction over the
water supply system, including the
dam at Great Falls, the aqueduct
bringing the water to the city, the res
ervoirs along the route and the fItra-
tion plant. as well as a portion of the
water mains laid in the streets of the
city. He also has Jurisdiction over the
highway known as the Conduit road.
| under which the aqueduct is laid. The
Commissioners of the District of CO.
| lumbia have control over the distribu-
| ton Of the water after it leaves the
filtration plant. This distribution sys-
tenn consists of the high-service reser-
voirs, District pumping station, a
greater part Of the trunk water mains
and all distributing water mains. All
extensions to the distribution system
are made by the Commissioners. The
! subject of placing the complete water
system under one control has been
matter of discussion by previous boards
of Commissioners, and legislation has
been drafted in previous years provid-
ing that this control should be placed
in one body, namely, the Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia
The present board of Commissioners
concurs in the views expressed by their
predecessors in Office. and in their esti-
mates to Congress for the fiscal year
1917 they have included legislation
with the object of placing the whole
|lieve that considerable economy of ad-
ministrati ton will result if the proposed
change is made. The expenditures of
the Commissioners in water distribu-