Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-01
CRENsHAW CALLS HALT
ON WATER-LEAK REFUNDS
VIII Decline to Honor Repavmep,
Orders, Unless Approved by
Council.
RULE is EFFECTIVE TO-DAY
Sullivan to Introduce Ordinance De-
signed to Afford Rendy Relief to
Occupants OF Premises Charged
for Underground Waste.

Ihis is an open season for tho airing
OF grievances. Gas consumers are
Srieved because the authorities OF tho
Gas Department insist upon requiring
advance deposits to guarantee tho pay-
ment OF gas bills Councilman English
is gricvcd because thoughtlcss citizens
blame him for being responsible for
the situation, and intends to Introduce
an ordinance tonight designed TO allie
riatc the grievance.
Tho latest grievance TO find insistcnt
voice cmanates from the citizens who
Will be affected by Auditor Crcnshaw's
manifesto in which hc announces thai
beginning to-day he will decline 1,
honor demands for refunds Of charges
for water wasted through underground
leakage. unless ordered to do so by
the Council.
But every grievance has it's Council
man to minister to the suffering In
the case Hf the property-owners and
occupants OF promises who stand 10 lose
by the auditors order. the leader for
tho aggrievcd Is Councilman w L. Sui.
Ivan, OF jefferson Ward. who Will in
troduce In the Common Council to-
night. an ordinance allowing refunds
for underground leaks-probab!y bv
comforting authority upon the Admins
trativc Board to authorize ouch refunds
after duo investigation and under Ger
tain restrictions
MT:
REFUND INCREASE
The nrst official protest against tho
Relating system as now practiccd
came In the form of n letter from city
Auditor Crenshaw to the Adminlstra-
tive Board last week, in which he drew
the boards attention to tho fact that
the aggregate OF water bills refunded
has Increased from S3S0.33 in 1912, 10
s2.35s.2o In 1914. most OF which money
y To-
FUNDED without ordinance authority.
According 10 tho present ordinances
said Mr.. Crcnshaw, refunds arc per-
missiblc only where n water bill ha,
been paid twice, and for the proper por-
ton OF n bill when the occupicr OF tho
house charged with tho bill shall move
before the quarter paid for.
The attention OF the board was fur
Their drawn to subsection Il OF Section
u Of Chapter 81. reading as follows:
All water passing through n motor.
except tho fixed quantity before stated
for certain fixtures. shall be charged
for whether used or wasted"
CLAIM LAW SHOULD
NOT BAR PREPAY MENT
II is claimed by citizens Interested
IN the matter that the ordinance above
quoted never contemplated the collcc-
! tion OF charges for hidden underground
lcakages. If this had been the inten-
lion OF those who framed tho measure.
1t is claimed. leakage would have been
specified as well as use waste.
Since November "a. 1919 refunds for
underground leakage have been allowed
| by the Water Department under the
| following rule. adopted by the Admins
| trative Board on the date named
Where underground leaks occur in
water pipes of metcred services and
the water wasted does not show on the
/ surface. and tho owner. agent. or ten
ant after receiving written notice from
| the Water Department concerning the
excess consumption. shall have prompt
| " made all necessary repairs the SUI
| perintcndent Of the Water Works Is
| hereby instructed to rebatc the total
charge in excess OF the average bill
| for the premises: provided that no re-
| bate OF this character shall be made
more than once in any twelve months
without notice to and approval of the
| Administrative Board"