Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-02
BOARD
APPROvESpROJECT
TOHARNESSFALLS
Report Declares Increasing
of Capitals Water Supply
Is imperative Need.
CITES WATER CONSUMED
AS MAXIMUM OF SYSTEM
Favors New $9.0OO.OoO Conduit
From Great Falls and Filtration
Plant as Earliest Solution,

Plant as Earliest Solution.
The United States board of engineers
Tor rivers aud harhors in A report
today to the chief OF engineers of the
Army. concurs IN the findings of the
report Of Maj. Tyler that the harness.
ing of Great Falls for power pur-
poses Is economically feasible and the
increasing of the Capitals water sup
ply an Imperative necessity.
signed by Brig. Gen. Taylor, its
senior member. the boards statement
includes AN. exhaustive review of the
1Eler plan and cost estimates sIt
emphasizes the seriousness of the
water supply situation with this terse
observations:
Inc consumption of water in the
District of Columbia has already
reacned n maximum of 9O.GGn 600 gal
ions or more daily. about l35 G. s.
"hlch also represents the maximum
capacity of the conduit. tunnel and
pumping plant. These facilities are
under constant strain. and - no re-
serve exists. there is danger of COM
plete interruption of the water sun
ply of the capital of the nation"
In Line With Baker.
The boards recomme nda ton as TO
development of hydroelectric power
closely parallels suggestions made
yesterday by Secretary of War Baker
at the Federal Power Commission
nearing on the Tyler report that
water power sites should be devel-
| oped TO save coal. In this connec-
tion the rivers and harbors engineers
say:
Sound policy in the use of con-
mat
water power. and in the conserva-
tlon of an eXhaustible one, such as
coal. dictates the utmost possible
employment of the water power. The
District engineer tMai. TylerD makes
this clear, but the board believes
even greater stress should he laid
upon the point to the extent of in
sistinS that in the requirement at
reasonable figures of all needed prop
erty and property rights as an in
dispensabie prerequisite to the de-
yelopment OF any water power. there
should be Joined to the further ad-
vance requirement definite. legally
enforceable contract between the
public utility interests of the Dis
trict of Columbia and the licensee
former to receive and the latter to
deliver all available water power
that can be :ised in place of steam"
Stating tha; Maj. Tyler estimates that
power can be developed at Great
Falls and delivered to substations in
Washington at a cost varying from
Sc to 10 mills per kilowatt, the re-
port continues:
Even the larger figures will, in
view of the present and probable fu-
ture cost of coal, prove advantageous
to the public, whose obligat tion to
pay rates that viii be reInunerative
to the public utility companies JUS
tIiieS every reasonable measure to
enable it to escape the consequence
of the advancing tendency Of the
costs of labor and fuel
The report. coupled with Secretary
Bakers suggestions at yesterdays
hearing, was considered today to
have made practically certain ia
vorable report by the federal power
ommission to Congress on the Tyler
recomNse nda tions
1t also appeared likely that the
Department of Interior, which is in
veStSating Il SuperpoWer project to
cover the territory between Pitts
burgh and Boston. might include the
Great Fa is pian in it's program. The
superi'ower plan contemplates de-
yeiopment OF hydro-eleetric power in
conjunction with existing steam
plants.
The department report on the
power project is being prepared un-
der the dire tion of Secretary Payne.
who also is a member of the f. deraI
power commission. The report is re-
quired to be in the hands of Con-
gress by July /.
Wafer Emergency Exists.
District officials expressed hope
today that the commission would
recommend the handling of the water
supply and power portions of Mai
Tylers report AS separate projects,
in order that action may be had on
the former as an emergency propo-
sition.
In reviewing Maj. Tyler's findings as
to the water supply situation, the
board of engineers for rivers and
harbors. in its report. points out that
the demand on the conduit is now
so great that it is impossible to keep
it in repair. 1t states that two days
are required to drain the tunnel and
that as this is the longest time the
storage in Mcmillan reservoir will
supply the city no adequate oppor-
tunity is afforded to inspect the tun-
mel after the water has been turned
out.
Mai Tyler outlined three PatuXent
and two Potomac river plans for in
creas sing the cityS water supply, and
these are reviewed by the rivers and
harborS board.
II is asserted that the Potomac at
Great Falls has a drainage of 1900
square miles, mostly mountainous.
rugged and wooded, with a small pop
ulation so distant from Great Falls
that there is little likelihood of water
contamination, whereas there are in
habitants near the proposed intakes
on the PatuXent, which would involve
risk OF serious contamination.
Potomac Projects Cheaper.
Two OF the Patuxent plans would
cost about s20,000.000 each, and the
third about $11.O00,O00. whereas one
of the proposed Potomac develop
ments would cost about 1000, 900,
with the other approximately So
U00,00
include the building of an additional
conduit from Great Falls and an
liberation plant on Dale
carlia reservation, can be built in
about two and one-half ysazs- Maj.
MIR says. ,...eI rs any other devel-
opment would require at least hve
years.
with Maj. Tyler that this plan should be
adopted because of the shorter time re-
uuired for its construction and the saw
ing in cost involved. -
1t is estimated this addition to the
water works system would meet the
needs of Washington for sixty years.
or until 1880. at which time, It Is pre-.
dicted, Washington will have q popu.
latica of 100000.