The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-03-11
SPECIAL ELECTION
CALLED APRIL 10
QUESTION OF ADEQUATE WA
TER SUPPLY CONFRONTS
THE CITIZENS
$4,000 WATER BONDS
Northside Needs Water - Present
Pumping Plant Lacks Capacity
and is Expensive

In this issue of the Herald will bt
found the publication of Ordinance
No. 80, calling for special election
on Saturday, April 10th, to decide
the question of authorizing bonds in
the sum of $4,000 to be used in in
creasing and extending the city's
water system. This ordinance was
passed by the city council on March
9th.
The question of adequate water
supply and fire protection comes be-
fore the property owners of the city
as the biggest item in municipal i'm
provements contemplated this year,
and calls for the thoughtful consid-
Grafton of voters. The city council
was impelled to its action in calling
the special election by the real and
urgent need of a municipal water
system of much greater capacity
than the present one. The plant now
in use was planned in 1916 and built
in 1917, and based on the expected
population of 1000 or 1900 people.
Since then the large and populous
Northside district has sprung up and
been added to the city and the South
side has more than doubled in popu-
lation.
The pumping capacity of the pres
ent plant is 43,200 gallons per eight
hours. On may days during the past
year it has been necessary to oper
ate the pump much more than a |
working day and as high as eighteen !
hours per day to supply the needs
of that part of the Southside that is /
using city water The pumping Of
water with the present outfit has
been done at expense far in excess
of what it should be.
Estimate of Needs
The normal need of the city at it's
present size is put at 2S3, 1000 gal
Ions per day This total is made up
of four items. 125,000 gallons for
domestic use; 5000 gallons for
sprinkling; $4,000 gallons for flush
ing sewers; and a fire reserve of
100000 gallons This estimate is
of course based on summer season
needs and does not mean that this
amount of water would be used
every day, but it means that there
would be days when it might be
needed. The reserve for fire pro-
lection of 100000 gallons would
supply three B inch nozzles for two I
hours and might be required any
day or night by a good sized fire.
Last summer during the lawn sprink-
ling season, sufficient water could
not be accumulated to allow the
proper flushing of the sewers. AS Y
result they became in condition to
clog easily, and required extra use a
ess expense to clear them. The need S,
If water on the big north side is D
great, and is very meagrely supplied is
1T present. ,Northside property own b
RS have petitioned for an extensive il
water improvement district and it c,
vilF be impossible to supply it from IL
he present plant. The Northsiders Of
ire entitled to all of the improve h,
nents which the Southside has and tc
he most urgent of them is water. cl
The issuing of these water bonds st
viii not necessarily mean increased fl
axes, as the law under which such w
n issue is authorized provides that tn
he net proceeds received by the city tn
rom water rentals shall go into ed
und to be used for the redemption Y,
f the bonds. A water system of eli
dequate capacity could be operated qu
so that low rates would In
ill yield some profit to put into ST.
lch fund. st,
Affects Insurance Rates alb
There is no more essential need
any city than water and this is en-
specially true where scanty rainfall de
axes sprinkling of lawns and gar Tt
sns necessary. The difference in in
surance rates effected by an ade- sal
late water supply goes long way an
ward the cost of water system. arr
he council has taken all these and ex
her points into consideration in an
cir decision to call this election, tor
ID the Herald believes that their me
tion is based on a municipal policy
at is both wise and necessary. Ac- mu
IN was called for at this time as to
would be a difficult matter, or at pal