Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1920-07-28
INSPECTION OF WATER
SYSTEM COMPLETED
City Council Considering the
Installation of a Meter
System

The Inspection which has been
made during the past few weeks with
reference to the water service in this
CITY Is now complete, and is a census
OF the village, as far as houses sup
pned with water are concerned. In
view OF our recent water shortage
| the committee has felt that is is nee
essary to know just how many people
were users of the city water and of
the Raymond water, recently pur-
chased, and to ascertain how much
water will be required to supply those
VINO are not at present connected with
the city system.
Ihls systematic canvass revealed
great many leaky fixtures, and
blanks, notifying the property owners
nave been sent out requiring that
such fixtures be repaired. These
blanks are to be returned when they
can show that these repairs have
actually been made. Charts have
been prepared with holes of varying
sizes showing the amount of water
that can be lost through leakage. It
Is fact that a orifice the size of the
lead in an ordinary pencil will, I'M
der 90 pounds of pressure, discharge
about 81 gallons an hour, 744 gallons
a day and 22,320 gallons a month,
which is more than sufficient to sup
ply three families of five persons
each. Figuring on this basis it is
evident that the waste from the leaky
fixtures on IA different premises
about the village, might prove seri-
Gus.
The city council is also seriously
considering the question of metering
the water service. Investigation
made of metered systems shows that
water waste is reduced where there
lare meters, and many instances have
been cited where with the in
stallation of meters it was not nee
essary to increase the supply, which
totherwise would have been required.
Furthermore it is fair method of
selling water, for users are charged
exactly according to the amount OF
water used while under the fiat rate
system many consumers are not pay
ing adequately and others pay much
.. more than they should. II metering
is adopted, a suggestion has been
: made that each owner pay an annual
rental for the use of the meter which
viii be adequate to properly maintain
it. In many places the owners are
: compelled to purchase the meters
while the city holds the right to see
that they are properly installed anc
kept in running order. If 1t should
: be decided to adopt this plan proba-
ibIv 100 meters would be installed this
r summer and fall beginning with the
r largest users
The water committee and the en-
tire council are much interested II
: the matter of water supply and arr
giving much time and study to the
lsituation. It is hoped that arrange
L nents may soon be made for test!
.
are any leaks in the mains At pres
! lent. and after several days and nights
n | during which the water has not beel
disconnected, the reservoir IS full
This is very encouraging and 1t
> honed that this condition may con
tinue. It is probably partly due t
the discovery and repair OF leaks an
e TO the greater care by the people 1
:. realization of the recent serious cor
dition. Under normal conditions tn
n supply should be adequate 1t WI
N be realized that the situation IS nc
st one to be neglected, for, from the Ger
e1s II l. shown that there are de
l. lnendent on the supply, 1912 families
~ 4742 persons. Of these by far tn
~ greatest number are supplied by II
eitv system. a large number by tn
RAYMOND. and others by the Hinmal
. and Cunningham systems, and Dy
= dividual springs
In The census was a systematic on
carefI1IIv itemized and gives interes
ar ing data. The number of horses ID
IS nendeut also on our water supp
a wit6in the village limits are FL
1t. cows. 128; automobiles, 1873; fauee
as supplied, 357s; hot water tanks, 81
OF hath tubs. 7O1; closets, 1908; s
4. This. 24s; hose connections, 30
n harms and garages, 222-
Lei