The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-08-03
EAST CHICAGO WATER
RATE SITUATION LA|NED
Continued from page two,

such that the total income to the COM
pany Is not materially changed. Be-
cause Of the uncertainty and the dir
hculty OF the problem. the Commits
sion has delayed fixing rate for
sprinkHng purposes until next April.
AS stated above the present rate will
not be effective until September 1st.
and sprinkling season Will then be
about over for this year. The Com
mission felt that it should have the
benefit of the actual experience OF OPP
Grafton under the new rate until next
spring to SEQ about how muth water
people would consume for purposes
other than sprinkling. and also dis
cover how much revenue the new raro
would bring. with this information
1t feels 1t can more equitably fix
sprinkung rate, and for that reason It
has decided TO have hearing nexr
April for that purpose.
Another thing that Will be Of inter
est to landlords generally is that part
of tho order which requires the water
company to put IN separate meters for
tenants II requested SO to do and the
landlord at his own expense alters the
plumbing when necessary as to put
ii IN proper shape for separate me-
tors. The expense of the meter it
self. however. is to be paid by the
company.
The company will divide the city
into three or more districts for con-
tinuous meter reading purposes. ana
the bills will not be sent out all at
ono time. About one-third OF them
will be sent out on the 18th day OF
tho month. another third on the 21st-
and the balance on the LIST of the next
succeeding month. and consumers will
have ten days after the date of the
bill within which 10 pay their monthly
bill in order TO get the benefit of the
net rate. There IS q difference Of 10
per cent between the gross rate and
the net rate. In each case this is done,
70 promote prompt collection OF the
bills the same as has been done in the
case Of your gas and electric bills for
some time. It IS presumed that prac-
tica11y all consumers will pay their
bills within such period and enjoy the
benefits Of tha net rate. There is a
minimum rate provided for each ser
vice which carries with II the same
discount rule. In the case OF most
consumers (who have SIS inch meters)
this minimum, rate covers a consumpt-
ION of approximately four thousand
gallons per month. AS the meters In
crease in size the number Of gallons
within the minimum for each month |
increases proportionately- The prtn- |
cipaI Objection that I see with the
rate TO begin with IS the size OF the |
first block. namely ten thousand gall |
Ions per month. If this block werc |
cut in half and five thousand added to |
the second block the schedule would |
be much better for single family SER |
vice. An initial block of ten thou |
sand gallons for two-flat buildings /
and other services with moro than one |
family seems reasonably fair. but |
makes the schedule a little high for |
single family service. There IS an |
additional charge added to the mini |
mum OF so cents net for each addition
a. family, but IN my opinion. that still |
does not make the schedule quite as fair
as IL should be to single family ser
vice. I believe that experience will
prove that the minimum - $1.25 net
can be cut to s1.00 and that the ini-
tial block can be cut from ten thou
sand gallons per month to five thou
sand gallons per month. There is not
very much difference between the rate
provided by this new schedule and
the one now in use in Gary and Whit
ing. The difference between this nate
and the Gary ratio IS due largely to
tho fact that we now have filtered wa
ter and Gary does not, also to the fact
that the Gary Land Company pays u
large proportion of the cost Of sprinX-
ling in that city.
I herewith submit that portion Of the
order just made which think viii
be most interesting to the general
public, and which discloses the gen
eral attitude OF the Commission to-
ward our problem together with the
schedule they have adopted for trial
purposes. A few days hence / expect
to have several copies of the ruu order
available for distribution to the press
and organizations desiring them.
RATES"
1T Is impossible to determine ex-
actly what the consumption Of wa
ter will be under tho new rates. and
impossible to determine exactly what
the revenues will be- Operating ex-
penses will vary TO some slight ex-
tent by reason of greater or less con-
: IlHpLiOn OIL WdlET. Inc COMMISSION
has estimated these things as close
" as possible IN view OF all the evil
dence-
1T is suggested by the city that the
Commission authorize ratios for a tenn
porary period only, so that the rates
may be changed IL found to yield too
much revenue, or found to be other
wise improper or unfair. The Com
mission believes a better plan will be
to require water company each month
10 make a report to the Commission
and the City. showing its revenues and
expenses and other operating data for
the the preceding month. If 1t de-
Telops that the rates authorized are
too high or too low, or otherwise i'm
proper, the Commission will upon its
own Initiative proceed to make such
adjustment as are required It will
probably take several months. and
nay take more than one change Of the
schedule before satisfactory adjust {
nent OF the rates Is completed.
The conditions at East Chicago are
peculiar and the putting into effect of
meter rates that will be fair to each !
# the various classes Of consumers
md to the company. win require some I
ime and considerable patience. and I
he continued cooperation OF the City
IT,.