The Washington times., 1917-01-14
Vigorous Fight for Enactment
of Bill Planned Before
Senate Committee.
FAVORABLE ACTION SEEN
Workers Have Active Support
of Entire Maryland DeIega-
ton in Congress.

A vigorous fight for the enactment
Gt this session of the bill extending
District water to nearby Maryland
communities. as urged by The Times.
is planned before the Senate District
Committee by the members Of the
Washington Suburban Sanitary Com
mission.
Following the sending Of the measure
to Congress by the District Commits
sioners. the members Of the Maryland
board went in a body to the Capitol,
saw Senator Smith, OF Maryland, chair
man Of the committee, and arranged
with him for a hearing.
Ask Early Date.
The members of the commission re-
quested that the hearing be set at the
earliest possible date. which probably
win be the latter part Of this week.
In their efforts to secure favorable
action on the measure, the commission
will have the active support Of the en-
tire Maryland delegation, and men,
bers Of the body express confidence
that favorable action can be secured
at this session.
As the District Commissioners point
out In their report to Congress, be-
fore the extension can be put into ef-
feet the Maryland Legislature must
pass an enabling act empowering the
Washington Suburban Sanitary Com
mission to enter into an agreement
with the Commissioners outlining the
conditions under which the service Is
to be rendered.
Bill So SPECIFICS.
The bill makes such an agreement
condition precedent to the actual
connection OF the two systems, and
specifies that the agreement shall pro-
vide for retention by the District au-
thortties of control over the meters
at the District line; a rate based on
actual cost to the District of deliver
ing the water, including a per cent
interest charge and an allowance for
depreciation, and that the amount of
water to be furnished Maryland shall
not exceed 100000 gallons daily.
Deliveries of water are contemplat-
ed at Chevy Chase circle, at the in
tersection of Georgia avenue and
Eastern avenue, at the intersection of
Rhode Island avenue and Eastern ave-
nue., and at the intersection of Ana
costa road and Eastern avenue.
Authorized to Negotiate.
At present the Washington Sub
urban Sanitary Commission is au-
thorized by the Maryland law only
to negotiate with the District Com
missioners for the service to make a
study of the sewer and drainage CON
ditions within the Washington sub
urban sanitary area, and to report
upon needed legislation to the session
of the Maryland Legislature which
meets in January, 1918.
Although the bill before Congress
places the maximum amount of wa
ter which may be furnished to Mary
land at 100000 gallons daily, Rob
ert B. Morse, the chief engineer of
the Maryland board of health. who is
also engineer to the Washington Sub
urban Sanitary Commission, esti-
mates that this amount will not be
needed for some years.
2Oy5OO Population.
THE population of the Washington
suburban sanitary district was ap-
proximately 2O,5OO in 19IO," Engineer
Morse stated today, "and 1 have esti-
bnated that it will increase to $4,000
in 1920, and to 60,5O0 in 1880.
p Allowing sixty gallons per capita
daily, the total amount needed in
1920 will be about 1,70O,0OO gallons
daily, and the 100000 gallons aus
thorized by the bill will not be used
until 1880.
LAS a matter of fact, it is not to be
supposed that all existing sources of
supply Will be abandoned in favor of
using District water"
1t is being pointed out that the in
stallation of water hReters in the Dis
trict is reducing the amount of water
used. .....-.