Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-16
WATER SITUATION !
DEMANDS ACTION
Mayor and Director Dates
man Consider Chief Da-
vis's Extension Plans
MAY COST $57.0O0.O00
Present Supply Inadequate
and City Would Suffer in
Case of Breakdown

Plans for extensions to the water sNs
TEN TO cost $l2 ,OOO. 900. framed by chief
Davis of the Water Bureau. are being
tentatively considered by Mayor Smith
and Director natesman. \ new plan
10 establish big basins and a gravity
system near the headwaters Of the
SchuylkilI River is being talked Of Its
estimated cost is si5.OOO.OOo. and 500
400 600 gallons o' water daily could be
sent TO the city
In speaking "f the Imperative need
Cor action. Chirr Davis today said
SIXTY per cent OF the Citys water sup
ply comes from the Delaware River
through Torresdale le 4 break in this
one line would mean serious trouble.
New lines are impsrStiVelY needed from
the standpoint Of safety as well as for
an augmented supply. We are pumping
from SO0,00O,0OO to 5000. 900 gallons
daily and the supply is always short.
We are constantly in receipt of COM
plants from the central and southern
section Of the city, both from individuals
and from the many business and civic
associations Business houses have had
70 fnstalI their own water systems and
storage plants. At times, even now, this
situation becomes acute aud causes
much inconvenience, II not actual suf-
fering"
There are hut two methods" chief
Davis continued by which the city can
he assured an adequate water supply
The frst is to stop wastagc and the
second is increased plant and main
capacity. Universal meterIug is in sight
and that will eTectually stop wastage
As things are now everyone who feels
like II wastes water without Stopping
TO think that he is wasting q valuable
commodity that involves costly produC-
ton. The c.IS las no more imperative
need ;udn to Increase the water supply
and properly safeguard it,"
The two methods for extension, in
NolN" big new mains to carry water di-
rectly to the central and southern sec
non Of the city without their being
tapped north Of Market street. To fur
nish supply Of filtered water additional
equipment will be- needed at Torresdale
This series Of improvements would pro
vide two parallel lines of water, either
one Of which would he capable of Civ
ing the city al least 4 partial suppiv
in case Of hr"alduWn. The present
system that has cost the city anproxi-
matalE S6S S,UO0.Oh0 iS auiiuuatsd and
Suul" Of the machinery - fast wearing
or.
/. one objection Ia tapping the Della
ware River for TINS additional supply
involves questions that arise from the
plan to build canal between this rity
and New York as a part Of the inland
costa system. Because of possible en-
gineerng problems and by reason OF
the fact that modern ciIies are de
nanding water from tn. hills rather
than from streams that are little more
, than open sewers IN. Alternative plau
for the upper Schuylkill River has
been suggested.
chief Davis and othe"s who have
discussed the proposition, say there are
no GeOgra ph"al obstacles in the way,
, and by going thirty or forty miles up
stream a gravity system could be es.
tablished and basins built that would
Increase the present supply by the natu-
raj course or that could he piped later
on. The first step that will he taken
in the event Of the SChuylkll project
Ir"eiNimg otii"ia! sanction VIII he the
appointment of consulting engineers to
pass on INe tentative plans now in city
Han The first step would be the
building Of a BASIN and Only enough
money for this project would be asked
for during it, construction