Evening star., 1921-10-01
Water Supply and the Surplus.

"dtcI oupply anu tue OuTpluS.
There is no project contemplated
under the District budget for the COM
ing year in which residents of Wash
ington take a larger or more natural
interest than that which provides for
the reinforcing of the inadequate wa.
ter supply system of the District.
Concern is expressed by certain of
those upon whose shoulders rests the
responsibility of maintaining the nee
essary water supply for Washington
lest ex-senator Sherman and Gen.
ture, should decide to reduce the large
appropriation needed for the carrying
out Of the project. That this concern
should, in the light of the popular ap-
ca sc, be communicated to the general
public of Washington is inevitable.
Yet that it should have substantial
foundation is, in view of established
facts with which the director Of the
budget and his assistant on local esti-
mates must be familiar, happily i'm
possible.
Both Gen. Dawes and ex-senator
Sherman are undoubtedly aware of
the facts disclosed in the recent con-
gressional consideration of the local
water supply situation. That the exist
ing system is so antiquated as to be
in, nf q of ",
down at any time: that the demand
upon it's single conduit for continuous
service is so great as to inhibit the
possibility of temporary disuse in
order to make much-needed repairs;
that during the past summer that
conduit was called upon to deliver,
during a period of many weeks dura-
ton, about 10000, 900 gallons of water
day above the 65 200, ,O00-gallon safety
mark established when it was in good
repair, are facts testified to by every
competent authority who has been
called upon for an opinion and facts
recognized by Congress in it's disposi-
ton of the problem. The imperative
need for the construction of new
supply line was established when Con-
gress passed it's preliminary appro-
priation of 100000 for starting work
upon the $10.0O0,000 supply plan Of
Mai. NJ c. Tyler. The necessity for
speed in pushing the work involved
received the strongest emphasis in
that report. Even under the most IA
vorable of circumstances three years
must elapse before lives and property
within the District shall be free from
the menace of a disastrous water
famine The vigorous steps necessary
have been recognized by the House
and Senate and. under this circum-
stance. the dread lest the necessary
appropriations for the next three
wears may be refused must be re-
garded as baseless.
A more practical concern of Wash
ingtonians in regard to water supply
is directed toward the matter of how
the Districts share of the funds re-
uuired under the Tyler plan is to be
raised Since that plan is to cost in
the neighborhood Of $1o,000,O0O they
are aware that their share Of the ex
pense would, under the halfand-half
law compel the raising of about
s5,000,0 900; or s6.OO0,Ooo under the
temporary 60-40 ratio. At this point
the District surplus in the national
1,raa s,,rv leans into mind
There are indications that the House
will not agree to apply this surplus
to the payment of current District
annual expenses if the result is to
reduce current taxation. 1t has been
urged that the sum nvolved-amount-
ing, when District dollars are matched
with dollars from the federal purse, to
between nine and ten millions-be
held to meet some extraordinary ex-
pense in District development. Such
an occasion has now arisen. The Dis
trict's share of the water supply prof.
ect cannot be met out Of current taxes.
Through one eXpedient or another 1t
would, did the Treasury surplus not
exist. nave TO De DOTEOWtu. Ct Will
that surplus in existence the financing
Of the project becomes happily simple.
The figures themselves suggest the
natural course. The water supply
project is to cost in the neighborhood
of SIG, 1000 900. There lies in the fed
eral Treasury today, awaiting appro-
priation for District uses, the approx
mate equivalent of one-half that sum,
each dollar of which calls for second
dollar from the federal purse. An op-
portunity is thus afforded Congress,
through the simple expedient Of meet
ing an existing obligation, to avoid the
necessity of mourning a new one. In
SO doing the District surplus, inactive
at a time when the inactivity of capi-
tai is retarding the return of pros
perity to the nation. could be wiped
off the books with the same gesture
which would supply the funds essen
tial to a most needed local improve
ment.