Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-03-16

j. s. Garland. superintendent of the
! Water Department. joined with En-
Sineer Commissioner J. Franklin Bell
| today in urging that the maintenance
ct the Washington aqueduct be pro-
Nided out of the general revenues of
the District instead of having the
entire expense borne by the water
| consumers.
The Federal Government. using IS
! per cent of the water consumed in
| the District without any expense
! Whatever, Mr.. Garland explained, will
force water users to pay at least a
20 per cent higher rate after July
| To meet an expected deficit in the
! water revenues for the next fiscal
year. The Federal Government. he
said. would have to pay approximate
| ly 100000 annually for the water it
uses. and if this amount was forth
| coming next year. the impending
| raise in water rates would be un.
| necessary.
Would Use General Fund.
! The % per cent increase was sug.
| Sested to the House subcommittee on
| appropriations at the recent hearings
| by Commissioners Bell as one of the
methods of eliminating the antici-
pated shortage in the Water Depart.
inentS revenues. The Commissioner.
however. offered as most practical a
pan OF maintaining the water supply
system out OF the general revenues
of the District. toward which the Fed.
efal Government is now contributing
S9.o00,000 annually
The committee. however. adopted
the former plan, and in reporting the
appropriation bill To the House direct
hp
water. rates by mot less than % per
cent"
SINCE l9lt the aqueduCt has been
maintained out of the water revenues
Prior to that time the maintenance
was provided for out of the general
fund
The Federal Government has CAPT
tai investment in the water supply
system, District officials emphasizes,
and therefore should contribute to-
ward its upleep. The Federal Govern.
ment participated with the District in
building the system. For the new sup
ply system, however. the United
states and the District for a few years
paid on the basis OF 1850. but in
l923-1926 the cost was paid by the
Federal Government in proportion
only that 50 900 900 would bear to the
total appropriations of the District for
each OF those years.
Figures compiled by Daniel J.
Donovan. District auditor. show that
up to June 80. 1925. exclusive of the
new water supply system now in the
course of construction. the total cost
of the supply and distribution systems
was $50, S20 ,64S6l. OF that amount
the United States paid from it's reve-
nues $3.50, 02S.3S. The District paid
from its general revenues s.. 1881.
while there was paid from the reve-
nues of the Water Department seq
002 ,S9S.42. The IS per cent of the
water used by the Federal Govern
ment. according TO the auditor. rep
resents about $4,000 a year at the
present rate.
1t is true, Mr.. Donovan explains.
that the initial construction cost of
the water supply system from Great
Falls to the District. beginning in
1853 and continuing to 1882, was borne
entirely by the Federal Government.
That represented an investment of
about 100000 From 1882 to the
present time, however. the District
and the Water Department have par
ticipated.
The raise in water rates will be
beneficial in one way. Commissioner
Bell declared, in that it will create
much needed extensions to outlying
sections now without water service.
1t also will be possible, he said. to re-
inforce the supply in some of the
older sections of the city through the
installation of larger mains.
The following statement of total ex-
penditures of the Washington a4ue-
duct, the filtration plant and the
Water Department of the District
from 1851 to July 80, 1925. prepared
by Commissioner Bell. is Of interest in
connection with the proposal in the
pending District appropriation bill to
increase the rates charged for water
service.
Washington aqueduct---
For construction work ..... So AGO, 1922 GO
For maintenance and operation 2594 .403.1S
Total expenditures to June
80. 1928 .......... .S11O14.726.4 40
Paid by the L. s ..... 1874. 96S. SO
Paid by the d. e. ........ 2.114 500 90
Paid by the Water Dept. 1855. 093.65
Filtration plant