Evening star., 1924-06-12

Washington's water supply was
threatened today, when sixty feet of
the sixty -five-year- conduit which
brings the citys water from Great
Falls gave way, completely shutting
off the water supply and causing
Conduit road to cave in on top of
the break. The blowout" occurred
about five miles the other side of
Cabin John Bridge, about 10 o'clock
this morning. There is ample water
supply in the city's various reser-
voirs to meet the needs of Washing
ton until after the break is repaired
which, engineers estimated today,
will be by o'clock Saturday after
noon.
The break was caused, as engineers
have been predicting for years, by
the weaknesses induced by age, in the
single conduit which supplies Wash
ington's water, combined with heavy
rains, which have washed earth away
from the bottom of the big tunnel.
The force of the break carried por-
tions of the brick conduit twenty five
feet, and the Conduit road caved in
sixty feet.
No Cause for Alarm.
Maj. ]. A o'Connor, United States
engineer, in charge of the aqueduct,
the water supply to the District fail
ing, and that consequently there is
no cause for a panic or alarm on the
part of the residents. Even if big
fire should occur, he said, there will
be ample water. He pointed out that
the city now is using 65,O00,O00 gall
Ions of water daily, and that there is
in the reservoirs more than 100000. 600
gallons, which will be more than
enough.
According to J. S. Garland, superin-
tendent of the water department, the
reservoirs at Brightwood and Reno
are filled with 34,500,000 gallons.
This is in addition to the 100000, 900
in the Georgetown, Dalecarlia and Nc
MILAN reservoirs, and 100000 gal
Ions of back water in the conduit
from the break to the reservoirs.
Should it be necessary, the break can
be repaired enough Immediately to
allow some water to come through
to Washington.
Repair Work Rushed.
shift, are working rapidly to repair
the break 1t will be necessary tc
repair at least 100 feet of the conduit,
or possibly more. because of the
cracks and other weak spots for some
distance each way.
The water burst from the conduit
with terrific force, scattering bricks,
wooden supports annd every thing
near for yards around. The road. the
men who were on hand say, quivered
and caved in leaving a chasm about
sixty feet long and twelve feet deep.
The men are now working feyerishly
with spades, picks and every obtain
able tool to clear away the debris.
The section of the roadway that
remains has had to be supported, and
new one will have to be constructed
on the new water line may be con-
tinued. For some distance up the
brick structure, the conduit has been
pushed out of shape by the force of
the water. Work on the new conduit
will not. however. be materially de-
layed.
No immediate reason can be given
for the break other than the heavy
rains, which weakened the support
| ing earth, which has been one Of the
safety features of the old brick con-
| duit for long time.
Prepared for Trouble,
Maj. O'Connor declared today that
'ft was lucky this did not happen
before we expected it and prepared
| for it," The engineers were sur
| prised- however, that the break was
| in the top of the water line, instead
of at the bottom and sides, where
| the pressure is greateStL
The three reservoirs along the Con-
duit road already show "a deprecia-
| ton In the water mark of about a
foot and half. This represents the
drainage by the city for more than
| twelve hours.
The break in the old water line has
| shown that Congress did not appro-
| pirate money any too soon for the
new conduit, which is expected to be
ready by May 1, 1925. Mai. O'Connor
| stated that Washin gton was fortunate
| that the sixty-five-year-old water
line was SO excellently built He
| estimates that when the breaks are
repaired. it will take three days to
refill the reservoirs to their normal
| capacity.
| The conduit in which the break
| occurred has served Washington with
water continuously sixty-five years
It was completed and placed in serv-
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