Evening star., 1919-12-01

pie due to the war. The total mean
daily consumption for the year was
64.42S,356 gallons, as compared with
59.606,970 gallons for the preceding
year. This increase of practically
100000 gallons per day is mainly
owing to the increase in popu lation
but to some extent is due to the large
quantities of use and waste of water
| by the federal government and the
| District of Columbia. 1t is believed
that the present water supply is am
pie for a population of 100000 people
| if properly conserved. and this con-
servation can only be accomplished
when AL consumers. including the
United States and the District of Co
iumbia, pay for the water used.
Neither the United States nor the
! District of Columbia is now charged
for water used. and the only method
| OF arriving at a proper charge would
be by Il valuation of the water sup
| ply and distribution systems and the
charging OF Il proper rate based upon
a fair return on the investment.
Cost of Operating Pumping Engines.
The cost of operating the pumping
| engines at the District pumping sta
| tion was $94,527.77. The total pump
age for the year was 11.252 35S.SS0
gallons. and the average daily amount
pumped was 30,S22.S92 gallons The
amount of coal burned was 7,49456
tons.
! The underground leakage of wa
! ter detected and prevented during the
/ year was at the rate of 1,160,0 900 gallons
| per day, with an average waste per leak
| of 6.l20 gallons per day The principal
! cause of leakage was found in corroded
| IRON services, and a large number Of
calked joints We're found defective. ind-
eating severe leakage from this
! source. Most of the joint leaks We're
! found in the old SiX-inCh mains, and
but few were found in mains recently
| installed where sufficient calking was
used. The cost of this leak investiga-
ton was S33, 1925 and the results
| based on the sale price of water at 4
cents per hundred cubic feet repre-
sents 81 per cent return upon the
investment.
Water Revenues and Expenditures.
The revenues from all sources dur
ing the year. including balance of
S199,1So.73 brought forward. amount
ed to S1.016,412.3S. The expenditures
of the distribution system amounted
TO ShI6.54S.99. Advances made on ac-
count of Washington aqueduct or sup
ply system amount to S251 ,54S.n3. The
balance. including S162, 1888 in the
Treasury of the United States $3,223S3
IN the hands of the collector of taxes
of the District of Columbia, and S5l,-
t9i.99 IN the hands of the diSbuySing
officer of the District of Columbia is
S211.647.35. This balance is obligated
to the extent of sS7,176.S6. leavinR an
unobligated balance under date \af
June 30. 1919, of S130,470.49. OF the
, total cost of the work during the
year, 81 per cent was for new work
and 61.9 per cent for maintenance.
Water Meters.
During the fiscal year only 394
water meters have been installed
making a total number in use on
June 80, 1919, of 61,299. The average
cost of installing a meter in a pri-
vate residence where the work is
done by the District is $1S.S3, made un
as follows: Cost of meter, $7.75; ma
terial $5.12; labor, $3.50. The rate
charged for water on metered serv-
ices is cents per hundred cubic feet
for all used in excess of 1900 cubic
feet. The minimum charge to each
premises. allowing the use of 1900
cubic feet, is $3.50 per annum. On
unmetered services the rate for do
nestle purposes is charged accord
ing to stories and front feet. On all
houses two stories high with a front
age of sixteen feet or less the charge
is, So per annum. and for each addi-
tional front foot or fraction thereof
there is added 81 cents to the, charges
as computed above. For each addi-
tionaI story there is added one third
of the charges as computed above.