Milford chronicle., 1917-11-02
PLACE METERS ON ELECTRIC
LIGHT AND WATER IN
MILFORD.


The fact is being forced home tina
the Light and Water Commission o
the Town of Milford must place boil
water and light meters upon theil
service to the consumers and users Of
both these commodities in Milford
The difficulty in securing coal and the
need for the economical use of the
service by the consumers, makes it
absolutely necessary to place some re-
strictiOns upon wasting, and to eff
fectively do this, it is necessary for
each consumer to pay for exactly
what he or she uses. The situation
Is now beyond a sentimental stage.
The pleasure in having a general il
Elimination of the homes, and a care
less wasting of the water pumped,
must be paid for by the people who
want and can afford this system; the
ordinary man or woman can not af-
ford wastefulness. To accomplish
this it will be necessary for the Town
Council to provide for the borrowing
of sufficient money as a temporary
loan, to place the meters in service
which may be, including meters for
light and water and the work of in
stalling them, five or even six thou
sand dollars. The result will be a |
monthly saving in coal of forty per |
cent. after the first month the system |
is in operation, and it will also re-
suit in an increase in the net revenues |
derived from the light and water used
in Milford. Those who can afford |
illuminations and waste of water. will
pay for what they get, and the small
individual consumer will get better
service at no greater cost. The pres
ent machinery will supply the de-
mands for several years to come,
when the waste is eliminated. Met
ers will cause everybody to turn off
the light when it is not in use, and
use lamps of a size sufficient to get
the light they require-instead of the
present habit of using lamps double
the size necessary in the various
rooms of a dwelling. The stores will
close up earlier in the evenings, and {
stop burning lights all night, except
those actually necessary for protec-
tion. Leaking faucets and water con- {
nections will be promptly repaired. i
and thus stop waste which the prop /
erty owner is paying for, as it will {
register in the meter. Running wat t
er into the sewer will stop, and use t
less wetting of the streets will cease. G
because the water will have to be paid +
for. This will result in, viz: The /
Light and Water Commission will re- c
ceive pay for the water pumped and v
used, instead of its being wasted and e
coal consumed to supply the water i
and light used in useless careless c
ness. Already the Light and Water t
Commission has added twenty-five per t
cent to the monthly bills for both +
light and water, but, that has not S
made any impression upon the trou- L
bic. Bring the thing home directly to 4
all the people, by a meter system v
which will present the actual cost of c
the service they are receiving. Met
ers will cause the superintendent of !
the plant to make inspections and /
take the readings of the meters each a
month; but, if that task is too great e
Tor him, additional help can be had c
in an assistant clerk or bookkeeper. s
which would be but small per cent A
Of the saving in the coal costs alone. v
NOW is the time for the people to take a
an active interest in their Light and G
Water system. The people own II h
and not the individual members Of the +
Light and Water Commission. and T
Town Council should be ready and D
anxious to do whatever is necessary b
or the maintenance Of tine plant AT e
IN effective standard. and for the gem Il
'ral welfare Of all the people. This H
AN be done by the Light and Water fo
commission presenting a tentative Ell
tatement Of the cost of installing the m
meters and operating under that svs- fl
EN-. to Town Council; or, if that body ia
hould fail to rise to the need of the re
ituation' present the facts and fig an
res to a Town Meeting to be held the Or
rst Friday evening in December in dr.
rmory Hall. This VIII give the fo