The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-01-16
THE WATER SYSTEM
 VALUABLE ASSET
Domestic Consumer Should Not Be Overlooked When
 Fixing Rates
SAME PRICE TO ALL

Just why a railroad company or any other large user of water should be supplied by the city at less rates than those who use water to drink, cook with and wash in, does not appear quite clear to the average citizen. It is true that firms en- gagged in business who want as many customers as possible give special prices to large patrons but whether this applies to a municipality that owns its own system is a debatable question. When this matter crops up, as it frequently does, one is reminded of a remark on this sub- ject by the late H. s. Chase, who took the ground that making water expensive to domestic consumers was sure to have a tendency to en- courage kind of economy that would not be profitable to any com. munity.
 "To have enough water in the house." he used to say, there must be some to spare for it is not pos sible for woman to handle water in the home without wasting some. The price to the domestic consumer should be nothing more than short profit and not that even provided the department can sell enough to cor
 
 That policy was considered good by a very large manufacturer, and he was not the only head of a big plant who shared similar views. Before the water system was me- tered it was not possible to tell how much each consumer used. but it is different now. and it does seem that large consumers who can charge the expense to their products have no grievance if they are asked to pay the same price per cubic foot charged to people who have to take it out of their daily wage. Besides, no concern could furnish water for itself at as low a figure as it can be served by the city, so that nobody is in a position to say that his plant is losing money by doing business with the water department.
 That subject was thoroughly aired when the city commenced to secure water in excess of what 1t was known would be needed for domes- tic use and fire protection. It was decided at that time that it would pay to have an abundance of water for manufa curing and other pur- poses, such as running elevators, needs of the railroad and the brew cries, one of which was the largest consumer in Waterbury. There are no breweries here now, but even so the demand for water for other than domestic use is on the increase. and if the city is in a position to meet it, both here and in neighboring towns. it is all right to furnish it, but the people who were assured that this great eX pense in securing water rights and building dams would mean less rates to them should not find at this day that all this talk was meant but to deceive the domestic con- sumer.
 An effort has always been made, and this idea is being put forward with more force now than ever be- fore to convince city officials that a municipality cannot handle any public utility and make a success of it. Those who take that ground find 1t impossible to make good on the contention in this city. The water system is a good asset and while it does not appear on the sur face, 1t would be folly to deny that there are those who would like to take it out of the hands of the peo- pie and turn it over to private corporation. The water system could pc SOId tO-uay TOT more than the entire bonded debt of the city, but 1t wouldn't pay to let it go at any price. It is refreshing to hear Mayor Hayes say that he is not in accord with the recommendation of the charter commission with refer ence to water rates. If some had their way. water would be more ex- pensive than gas or electricity and if you did not like the price you would have to get along without the service. This might be done with out serious injury in some cases. but nobody can dispense with the use of clean water, and a community that has it should see that it is safe guarded and that the interests of the domestic consumer are not lost sight of when the question of rates, is un- der considerat tion.