The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-11-17
WAFER SERVICE
FEATURES
TALKED
BY Scotland G. Highland, VINO
Shows the Benefits of Sup
PLYING Suburbs.
(By Scotland G. Highland.J

The question arises, what should be
the future attitude OF the city of
Clarksburg through It's water works
and sewerage board, upon an appIica-
ton fol- water for domestic purposes
to municipalities outside the corporate .
limits. who enjoy the powers Of local
setf-goyernmcnt?
The only excuse for public utility |
4 is the necessity for public service. ToE
serve the pubic. primarily, not merely
to make money. is the reason foG the t
existence OF o public utility.
Good business policy would seem to |
indicate favorable action upon pay
ment OF rcmunerative rates and proper
restrictions regarding the interests Of
the city population IN It's water supply. |
AS long as the city has surplus water
to dispose Of, 1t should, as business
proposition soil 1t. Pure water is a |
marketable commodity and the same
ingenuity and energy should be ex-
pended In marketing water as In mar
kettng gas or electricity. Water may
be called a manufactured product
wherever 1t is treated to remove or-
ganic or inorganic matter. Manufac-
ture Is invariably cheaper when con
Quoted on large scale. because the |
working force turns out large num-
Der Of units of product
Un 5uOEHl sSEfOunuSs
The department Of water supply
should sell its surplus water on moral
grounds that the whole people whose
interests are co-incident in the public
waters OF the state should be consid-
cred in the distribution thereof, even
though they be no part OF the munich
patty, and whether 1t be an individual
nonresident, an Industrial plant or
the citizens OF a town. unable by direct
means to procure suitable sanitary
supply under pressure, they should be |
given the opportunity to use of these
waters even though the city is an in
W eermedIary.
The formation of a water district"
and the supply of several municipal
tiles with one plant would insure high
or standards both of purity OF supply
and economies OF performance. It'll
would increasesthe use of filtered water
in such manner as to add to the happi-I
ness and health OF a greater number
OF people who are dependent for water
on wells subject to contamination
There is abundant justification for thel
grouping Of water works plants, par
ttcuIarly does this become evident
when the only available source OF sup
I ply is inaccessible, and where thel
Water must first be treated by scien-
tific methods and its purity carefully
guarded.
- There arc throughout the country
numerous instances of municipal wat-t
er departments supplying water out-I
side the corporate limits to Individually
consumers and municipalities. A fewI
familiar examples follow:
The city of Boston supplies water to
dozen important cities located within
the metropolitan water district. There
is a statute in illinois which compels
any city that has supply to furnish
an adjoining community with water
In New Jersey, a municipality owning
a water supply may furnish water to
any other place or person desiring to
obtain such water. Congress author
lied the district commissioners to sell
water to a community known as Chevy
Chase. The cities Of Newport and Cow
ington, KY, adjoin each other, being
separated only by the Licking river.
There is ten inch main connecting
the two cities. but each has its own
independent plant and each city sup
plies Its own population. But each city
can be supplied by the other in case
ofsemergcncy and they have frequently
interchang ed In this way.
Promote Growth.
Tho city with usually an abundant
supply. controlle ed and purified to meet
the requirements Of the state board Of
health, may without detriment to It's
own seryc furnish water to It's neigh
bors. promote the growth Of new
community which in turn will give its
patronage to the business interests Of
the city. Consideration for the rights
OF all the people in the waters of the
state, and the convenience and health
Of community, separated from the
municipaltty only by geographical
line, should hardly cause a denial of
the application. particularly when the
city: has appropriated to its use the
only stream conveniently available to