Evening star., 1922-12-10
EXTENSION OF MAINS,
NEW CONDUIT AND FIRE
SYSTEM. VITAL NEEDS

Fortified with graphic charts and im-
pressive statistics. officials are prepar-
ing to go before the appropriations COM
mittees of Congress in support of the
funds that have been recommended for
that all-important municipal necessity
the water supply
While the estimates as they emerged
from careful scrutiny at the bureau
of the budget do not contain all OF
the money the authorities in charge
of the water service felt was needed.
the sums transmitted are large
enough to make possible a big step
forward.
Three Water Problems.
Washington has three outstanding
water-Supply problems:
To complete in the shortest time
possible the new conduit from Great
Falls, which is now under construc-
,ion after a wait of many years.
To obtain sufficient allotments each
year to make the necessary extern
sions in service and trunk mains to
get the water to the householder
after it leaves the reservoirs.
To install a modern high-pressure
system of mains in the downtown
section as fire-fghtin2 weapon.
For the first of these needs-the
conduit-the budget recommends
s1.50O,000 for the next fiscal year.
While this is not as much as the en-
SIneers in charge of the project orig
inally asked for, it will make pos
sible uninterrupted work on the con-
duit after the close of this fiscal
year.
For the maintenance and extension
of the water distribution system the
budget carries gratifying increases
over current appropriations-not all
that water department officials want,
but substantial increases
This year Supt. Garland of the
water department has only 100000
for extension of water mains. If Con-
greSs allows what the budget bureau
has recommended he will have $780,
900 after July l.
For maintenance of the intricate
system of mains and pumps Mr.. Car
land now has $4,000. If the budget
goes through in its present form he
will have $4,000 more, or s45o,o0O.
next year.
Ready With High-Pressure Costs.
AS to the third need-high-pressu
fire mains-no appropriation is asked
for in the new budget. But the Com
,nissioners, Assistant Engineer Com
Garland are alive to the necessity for
this project, and are now preparing
detailed estimates of what such Il
system of mains would cost.
Supt. Garland has completed his
figures on the cost of a chain of high
pressure mains, but it will not be
submitted to Commissioner Keller un-
til the fire underwriters have COM
piled data for the District officials as
to how much of a reduction in fire
insurance premiums might be expect
ed if high-pressuTe mains are in
stalled.
Estimated Cost Cut.
The new conduit which is to bring
the additional water supply from
Great Falls to the District was orig
inally estimated to cost s9.523.000.
Mai. Tyler. in charge of the project,
has recently reduced his estimate to
Congress thus far has appropriated
$1.7O0.000. and for several months
large forces of men and powerful ma
chfnery have been dt work digging.
the huge trench.
Thus there remains approximately
s7.000.O00 to he appropriated in order
TO complete the long-sousht tunnel.
When one asks the engineers in
charge of the work how long it will
he before the inhabitants of the Dis
triet see the water rushing through
the new conduit. they reply with the
vefy pertinent statement: THAT de-
pends entirely on the rate at which
th@ money is appropriated"
Five Years Needed.
IN the current appropriation act
$1.e00.o0O was made available and the
same amount is recommended for
next year. At this rate of annual
appropriation it will take approx
-imately five years to finish the job.
Therefore the point which the en-
siBeers and civic leaders of Wash
inGton will seek to bring clearly to
the attention of the lawmakers is
th4t work should not be permitted
to nag on the project. for the reason
th$t the city will continue to face
thk<menace of water famine until
thk new conduit is in service.
Maj. Tyler stated yesterday that
work on the conduit is progressing
satisfactorily. The Arundel Corpor-
atte0 of Baltimore is doing the job
unf3er three contracts, each covering
a &fferent section of the huge water
turnel
But the conduit itself does not repre-
se4E the entire project. On the land
owsaed by the government at the Dis
trict line, between Conduit road and the
river, a modern rapid-sand filtration
plant will be erected, similar to those
IN Baltimore, Cincinnati. st. Louis and
other large cities.
The new conduit will bring to the city
exactly double the quantity Of water
now received daily. From the Dalecarlia
receiving reservoir water will flow by
Eavity into the, new filtration plant.