, 1922-10-19
Financing City Water


(COn1nued from Page -
From this Case ii. 1t Is shown that
the people of Rawlins would be SAL
1880 better off each year by hav-
ing a soft water system such as is
offered by the Sage Creek supply. II
this amount were and could be APP
piled on the taxes of the city it
would have the effect of decreasing
the taxes approximately 6k mills on
the dollar or $3.50 on each 100000
valuation.
This Case II. is absolutely repre-
sentative OF the savings that will be
effected. and this, too, without TAX
ing into consideration the increased
consumption of water and the in
creased population.
The water system as designed from
Sage Creek has ample capacity to
SUPPLY the Union Pacific railroad.
The records show that the average
daily consumption of the Union Pa
cific in Rawlins is approximately
S36,530 gallons per day. This water
is costing the Railroad company
about IL cents per 1000 gallons de-
livered in Rawlins. If the city of
Rawlins could enter into a contract
with the Union Pacific to supply this
water at 10 cents per 1000 gallons,
the revenue derived by the city from
the sale Of this water would be $780,
10000 per year. This item alone
would pay the total interest on the
bonds. If this sale Of water could
be accomplished the total tax de-
mills on the dollar or Sab per
100000 assessed valuation. and
under Case II. the total tax decrease
would be 1915 mills on the dollar or
$3.50 per 100000 assessed valua-
ton.
At this point it is desirable to
present some definite information
relative to what has been termed in
visible savings. The amounts of
these savings were shown above I'M
der Case II.
1t has been determined that on
the average each person in the city,
including all uses will soften with
soaps, Ives or sOdas. or all three,
one % gallon of water per day.
Rawlins would at the present time
soften approximately 5000 gallons OF
water per day. For each 1000 gal
lon5 Of water softe1ed there will he
used SO pounds of soap. The daily
soap consumption would be 415
pounds. Soap. toilet and laundry.
will average 10 cents per pound. At
this price the daily soap bill in Raw
Inns will be s41.50. With the water
from the Sage Creek supply the daily
SOAP consumption would be reduced
to IA pounds per 1000 gallons or 10
pounds per day, at a cost of 800
per day. This would affect a savings
Of $4,000 per day or $12,5OO.0O per
year in SOAP alone.
The manufacture of water soften-
ers have made exhaustive tests to
determine how much longer clothes
Of all kinds will last If washed in
soft water. II washed in hard water.
or water to which lyes, sodas and
soaps have been added, the fabric of
the cloth is worn out and deterior-
ated. 1t has been we'll established
that the life Of linens, bed sheets,
and other wash goods will last at
least four times as long If washed in
soft water. The housewives of
Rawlins can readily appreciate what
a saving this would be. Not only
will there be a saving in the clothes
but the whole general household
work will be very much lessened.
The cleaning and washing OF dishes
and other work where soft water is
available will become indefinitely
easier.
The cooked vegetables, especially
the peas, beans and other legumes
will be better cooked. It is almost
impossible to cook them in hard wa
ter. The coffee and tea will take a
different flavor.
Besides these savings mentioned
there will be the savings in cooking
utensils, stove backs. hot water pipe
and connections, plumbing, steam
boilers and heating plants.
By way of summary it can be said
that in developing a water supply
such as is available in the Sage
Creek Basin, the people of the city
OF Rawlins will be thousands of dol
lars ahead each year. Nothing is
more costly to a city than hard wa
ter. 1t prevents the growth of the
city; 1t costs money at all times and
in innumerable ways tt combat its
evil effects on plant life. Rawlins
with a soft water supply will gain in
population: will secure factories and
other industries: oil will develop
trees. gardens, lawns and become a
city whose civic pride and beauty will
be known over the West.