Evening star., 1922-06-17
ASKS BIDS FOR new
DC. WATER CONDUIT
Eight Miles of Concrete Con-
struction Specified in Engi-
neer Officers Proposal.

Bids for Washington's new water
conduit are being advertised broad
cast today by Mai. NJ. c. Tyler. engi-
neer officer, in charge of the aqueduct.
The bids call for the construction
of eight miles of concrete conduit
from point below Great Falls to the
Dalecarlia reservoir, above George
town. When this work is completed
late in the summer of 1924 there will
remain only about mile of conduit
to be built.
In order to speed up the project
Mai Tyler has decided to let three
separate contracts, involving s2.900,-
600, so tnat work on the conduit will be
going on at three points stimuli
taneously.
May Bid on All Three.
; Contractors may bid on all three or
any one of the sections of conduit.
Officials who prepared the plans and
specifications believe they are reason
able and are hopeful that the pro-
posals received will be within the
funds available.
The new appropriation bill. which
Is expected to become a law before
July l, makes $1,5Oo.Oo0 Immediately
available for the water project and
authorizes the Secretary of War to
enter into contracts for an additional
s1,450.000, to be appropriated later.
Construction firms have until July
II to submit bids. On that date the
bids will be opened and contracts
should be awarded within few
weeks. This would indicate that
work on the long-sought additional
water supply line should be under
way some time in August.
Cost Of Entire Project.
The entire project for enlars ing
the supply of water calls for an eN-
penditure of $S.73S.00o. Maj. Tyler
pointed out today. however. that the
present inadequate supply will be in
creased as soon as the conduit from
Great Falls to Georgetown is COM
pleted.
The remainder of the project calls
for q new and modern filtration plant
near the District line, a pumping sta
tion at that point and two new dis
tribution reservoirs in the northwest
end of the city.
Just how long 1t will take to carry
out the entire scheme depends upon
how fast Congress makes subsequent
appropriations.
,, According to Mai. Tyler. compile
tion of the new conduit will make 1t
possible to greatly increase the sup
! ply Of water daily available in the
! Dalecarlia reservoir at the District
line, into which both conduits will
empty.
! Even the completion of the new
conduit, however, will not reduce the
strain on the Lydecker tunnel
| through which all Of the city's water
| Is now transmitted from Georgetown
| to the lone liberation plant at 1st
! and Bryant streets.
Water Consumption Increased.
The daily consumption of water has
Increased to such a point since the
| war that lit has not been possible for
several years to close the Lydecker
| tunnel long enough to inspect it and
make repairs. If this tunnel should be
closed the reserve in the Mcmillan
Park reservoir would be used up
officials say, before the tunnel could
be dewatered, repaired and refilled.
Water department officials again
| emphasized the fact today that the
! beginning of work on the new con-
duit does not warrant the residents
| Of Washington in letting up in their
| campaign for the conservation of
water during the ensuing three sum-
/ mer1.