Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-12
Declares Cost of Downtown
Project Too Great to Be
Undertaken at Present.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
CALLED MORE IMPORTANT
Proposal Dropped Only After Prop
erty Owners Were Consulted.
According to Capt. Dram.

Plans OF the Water Department to
increase water pressure in the down.
town business section have been tempo
rarily set aside to make way for more
urgent and more important improve
ments in the distribution system, it was
disclosed today by Capt. Hugh Dram,
Assistant Engineer Commissioner.
The department had under consider
alton a proposal to transfer the present
gravity flow mains now serving the
downtown section to the first high
pumping area, thus increasing the pres
sure from IS to So pounds. An exhaus-
tive survey, however, according to Capt.
Dram, showed that the cost of the
project would not be justified at this
time in view of more essential require
mentS.
The survey was started in August
imarily as a result of a request by
the supervising architects Office of the
Treasury for higher pressure In the
area south of Pennsylvania avenue,
which would obviate the installation OF
water pumps in the new Government
buildings in the triangle and minimize
potential fire hazards.
Property Owners Consulted.
Ouestionnaires were sent to owners of
all buildings in excess of five stories in
height inquiring into the cost OF oper-
alton of the pumps used to provide
suficient pressure on the upper floors.
The principal object was to determine
whether increased pressure was desired
and whether it would effect decided
economies
AT the same time the Water Depart
Alent learned that many OF the OLD
mains downtown would have to be re-
placed, to prevent numerous leaks ana
probable breaks.
The cost of replacing the weak links
in the system, together with the read
justment of the mains for connectlon
with the first high area was estimated
at S65 900. In addition, IL was calculated
that the cost of pumping the water into
the downtown section, which SonSumes
an estimated average of 10,0OO,OOO GAL
Ions day, would amount to $4,000
year. thus placing further strain on the
finances of the Water Department, which
Ia now facing an inevitable deficit III
the five-year improvement program.
The Water Department is the only SELF
supporting agency of the municipal gov
eminent.
Other Work Needed More.
Moreover, Capt. Dram pointed out, 1t
was estimated, on the basis of the re-
plies to the missionaries, tnat Lne
saving 10 OWA1CAo VA OAAN A~@o-A $780,.
ings through increased pressure would
amount to approximately $4,000 a year,
which would be offset by the additional
pumping expense and the cost OF read
justment of the mains.
The failure of a number OF the own
ers of the large buildings to indicate in
the missionaries the annual cost to
them of pumping water to the upper
floors made it difficult for the depart
ment to estimate more accurately the
probable economies if the District did
the pumping.
AT any rate" Capt. Dram said, "the
survey showed that the Water Depart
ment Is not justified at this time in
putting in a high-pressure service for
the public buildings, hotels and other
structures in the downtown section at
the sacrifice of other more important
improvements. The present pressure
on gravity flow appears to be satisfac-
tory, there having been no complaints
of inadequate pressure for fire or any
other~Service."
That section of the gravity flow area
in which it was planned to increase the
pressure is bounded on the west by
Twenty-second street, on the east by
Tenth street, on the south by B street
and on the north by H street and New
York avenue.