New Britain herald., 1924-07-14
WATER SERVICE CHARGE

made in the future to place a service
 charge against all consumers Of muni,
 cipal water has aroused widespread
 Interest This is as it should be. SC
 that after such an innovation is put
 into effect 1t will have been done only
 after the most thorough consideration.
 W. L. Hatch, chairman of the water
 board who suggested the service
 charge principle recently, is desirous
 that every angle in connection with 1t
 is thoroughly understood. His plan.
 he says, Is to work out an equitable
 service charge. which would apply
 to large as well as small consumers.
 Augmenting his previous utterances,
 MT. Hatch states to the Herald that details of the plan contemplate a
 service charge of 8 year from the
 ordinary householder. although some
 would pay only s1 or s2 a year, de-
 pending upon the meter arrange
 ments. The s3 year service charge to householders would be the stand
 ard.
 In regard to the large consumers,
 Ar. Hatch declares the service charge
 distribution would be according to the carrying capacity of the meters. Most
 "a nt, ti Yia would have to pay from s120 to s2OO per meter, the majority of them being in the latter class. The large fac tories, however, have many meters, so that virtually all of these would pay $1,oo0 annually or more as a service charge, according to Mir. Hatch.
 The water department, the chair man says, needs 20 per cent a year more income and an equitable service charge is regarded as the proper way to obtain the increase, according to the chairman, This increase would in- clude depreciation allowance for plant The pubicis paying for depre- citation now, but by issuing bonds when new equipment Is needed.
 The service charge. according to the chairman's diagnosis, will amount to a standard charge of s3 for the average householder, and around s1,ooo or more for most large indus tries based upon the carrying capa- cities of the meters. Manifestly, this is a superior plan to that of a flat service charge to large and small con- sumers alike, which would have short shrift in this community
 MT. Hatch says the service charge | idea has been adopted by many mun- cipal plants and he thinks the time is | ripe to adopt it in New Britain Whether or not this will be done in New Britain, however depends upon the attitude of the board of finance and taxation and the common council. The former has already opposed the plan. That the latter will be extreme- g cautious in considering such scheme, if it ever gets that far, is re- earded as certain. If the water board succeeds in presenting it's case logically and forcefully there may be some chance. The board will have to com bat innate conservatism and the ten dency to leave well enough alone. It will have to meet the argument that the principle Of service charge is wrong, despite the fact that it is in use elsewhere. It will have to battle the belief that if more money for wa ter is needed. the way 10 obtain 1t is to increase the rates--and then will follow the argument that the rates need not be increased.
 If such a matter were before the public service commission of the state. everybody knows what would happen the service charge would material t' htlgliE upon tue possibility or l educating" public sentiment in favor [ of a service charge is considerable of Tn undertaking. It is easier to con iince the business element in the community than the man on the q treet, the factory workers and the a generally. 1nstnctive op- fl position must be faced, and when it is ' matter Of extracting extra money Q rom the public the task is not an C asy one.
 The time 10 have agitated the serv- s -e charge idea most effectively was IT uring the war or during the post D Tar boom. when public service com anies found it easy to have their way b egsrding charges of all kinds, most II which are still in force. At this late VI ay the psychology of thel situation is h gsinst the plan. But ift the water D osrd has luck, logic and eSoquence- "