Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-19
$4,000 GALLONS
OF WATER A DAY
SAVED BY SURVEY
Leaks Large Enough to Sup
ply Good Sized Stream Re-
paired by Lanham.
20 PER CENT WASTAGE
REPORTED IN DISTRICT
Loss Reached Enormous Total of
6,s55, COL, 1000 Gallons Last
Year.

Water enough to keep good sized
stream we'll supplied has been found
wasting away through leaks in the Dis
trict water system, detected in the first
six months of the survey being con-
Quoted by the Water Department in an
effort to reduce its large percentage OF
water "unaccounted for" Two survey
parties, working at night only in the
Southeast and Southwest sections, have
uncovered and repaired SO major leaks,
out of which .871 900 gallons OF filtered
water were pouring every "a hours,
The survey will last years, and II
Is the hope of Paul Lanham, its chief,
that in that time leaks which cause
the water distributing system a loss OF
10000 900 gallons day will have been
discovered and repaired. The first g.
month period has more than met his
expectations.
% Per Cent Is Lost.
How serious the problem of wasted
water Is may be seen from the fact the
department reported % per cent Of its
supply last fiscal year "unaccounted
for" This unaccounted for water
reached the enormous total OF $780,
sol 900 gallons during the year.
OF the leaks discovered, 80, or most OF
them were found in the old iron service
nipes of a type no longer used. These
accounted for a loss OF 539, $50 gallons
a day. Other sources of loss we're lead
pipes, SAT TAO gallons; brass pipe, $4,000
gallons; joints on mains, 453,20O gal
Ions: wiped joints, 10000 gallons; broken
mains. 81 900 gallons; couplings, $1,000
gallons; taps, $4,000 gallons; iron con-
necticns, 10000 gallons, and water
meters. 80 600 gallons The field parties
detect the blocks In which large amounts
Of water are being used at night by
meter readings, made at the water
mains. In suspected cases they check
their readings against the readings IN
the house meters and then run down
the leaks by listening TO fire hydrants
and other connections Of the water sys-
tenn with aquaphones. When they To-
cate the leak they dig down to the pipe
and repair it. The repair cost comes
out OF the maintenance funds OF the
department.
Part Of Funds Returned.
The survey was given an appropria-
ton of SAC, 600 for its FIRST year, but
owing to a slow start in getting or
canized and the extreme lateness In
passing the 1881 appropriation act, only
S1a.58e.59 of this sum was spent when
the appropriation lapsed July !. The
survey is now operating on its 1882 ap-
preparation, but it is planned later TO
ask for reappropriation OF the unex-
pended balance from 1881.
The survey makes all OF its own IN
etruments and celebrates them at Its
laboratory at the Bryant Street Pump
ing Station.
Although II is not believed any large
water system can ever be operated so
efficiently that there is no waste, the
cost when the wastage is large is high.
The water must be electrically pumped,
filtered. chemically and bacteriologically
treated. and its weight is an extra bur-
den on the distributing system.
Exceeds Federal Use.
The amount of water going to waste
exceeds the amount used annually py /
the Federal and District governments
combined Last year the total paid
consumri ion OF water amounted to
i6.421 500 600 gallons, or 81 per cent |
Of the pumpage the unaccounted-tor |
water amounted to 6.855 SOL 900, or % |
per cent water used free o. TIE Fed |
eral Government, 4.293 az 006. or l4.3 !
per cent; District government, l,802.- !
093. 900, or 8 per cent. The total
purnpage was 29. $50, 705 600 gallons.
The work OF the survey is not con-
eentrated on the area around Stanton
Square northeast. Later in the year
the city will be split INTO a number
OF master sections. The survey prob !
ably will take up the central downtown
section last. as this is the most difficult
section 10 handle, and 1t is planned TO
take il on when the surveying force, I
through practice. has reached It's high
est degree OF efficiency. Owing to he
large commercial usage Of water during
the night hours In the downtown sec
tom the detection Of leaks Is made
more diffIcuN, although still capable OF
being accomplished BY expert hands.