Evening star., 1918-06-02
CITY WATER WASTE
lAROUSES OFFICIALS
Near Danger Point In Total
Y Amount Used Compared
IiHas With Capacity.
ECONOMY MEANS SOUGHT

I Col. W. l. Fisk. retired engineer
iemcer in charge of the water supply
'Bystem Of the District. in . recent
report to the War Department stated
that q conservative rating Of the safe
dependable capacity of the conduit Is
.s5. 100000 gallons a day.
May % there was consumed in the
District 70.574.Oo0 gallons of water
: approximately 5,500.000 gallons more
than the Army estimate as to the
dependable capacity of the conduit.
Tho daily average consumption dur
s9ng April. also. was about 100000
gallons more than for the correspond
fang period last year. The May record
'has not been computed.
i May Become Serious.
: District officials who have charge
of the distribution end Of the water
system are showing no little un-
easiness over these most recent
figures as to consumption Of water
here. They believe that drastic meas
ures to prevent waste Of water will
have to be taken or a serious situa-
tion may. develop before the end of
summer.
J, water consumption in the District
has been increasing by leaps and
bounds since the war began to swell
.Hhe capitals population. The average
daily consumption for January was
saGos gaos. for a ass
fyear. Comparisons for other months
are: February, 1917. 100000 gall
lons: 1918, si.S44,ooo gallons: March.
sd ssd gaonsi 1913 sessa aso
gallons: 1918, 5s,715. .oeo gallons It is
thought that May figures will show
more than a ten-million daily average
increase.
4 Must Safeguard Future.
strict economy in the use Of water
must be practiced by the District and
federal governments and citizens gem
orally to meet the Immediate situa-
tton, while the responsibility is upon
tho federal government to safeguard
the future by providing for an in
cials point out.
Inasmuch as 81 per cent Of the
service furnished individuals and
business houses is metered, 1t is pre-
, generally extravagant in the use Of
water. The biggest economies are
looked for from the local and national
governments, which pay nothing for
the water they use.
Private consumers in the District
use only As per cent of the water and
pay the entire cost of maintaining
the system, while the United States
ana the District government get the
remaining 81 per cent without cost.
! Aid Of Private Consumers.
Just what steps can be- taken to
ter that Is being given serious con-
Alteration. While private consumers
are thought to be the least offenders,
there IL much they may do to prevent
waste of water, and they will be ap-
pealed to to conserve in this direc-
ample. 1t is suggested that thousands
Of gallons Of water can be saved
daily II the sprinkling Of lawns and
eidewalks be restricted to minimum
The Commissioners realize that
there II a health consideration in
volved in the water question and will
not suggest restricted use of water
except under the most urgent condi-
tionA It is this consideration which
has prompted them to arrange for
the opening Of the municipal bathing
pools about June 20, though. they
realise large amount of water will
be required for maintaining this mu-
31clpel 1unCtlon Whlle the pools Will
be opened, It may become necessary
70 close them II the water situation
becomes moro serious.
I May Turn or Fountains.
Tountains in the parks may be
turned on and other measures taken
to save water. Unless the waste is
checked, according to a prominent Of
Acial Of the water department.. a sit
uation may develop in the next few
months which. to say the least, will
be uncomfortable.