Evening star., 1932-06-03

at 4,2s3, 40 900 gallons and the District
government consumption 1902, ,093 900.
The balance In the report consists of
allowable leakage, 558. $4,000, and un-
accounted for. 6,885, 1901 900.
Others Enjoy Free Water.
In discussing consumption. Of water
the Efiiciency Bureau suggested that
water used in the operation Of the WASH
ington AQueduct, more than a million
gallons q day, be considered part of the
operating cost Of the water system and
left out Of water production and con-
sumption figures. other references to
governmental consumption are made in
the Efficiency Bureau report as follows:
THE Department Of Labor Building.
for which the water consumption Is
estimated Is included in Exhibit D in
the War Department total. This build
ing should be metered and reported
Separately. other activities for which
the water consumption is estimated,
such as the Soldiers Home. should also
be metered The Walter Reed Hospital,
| for which the water consumption has
been estimated for the past few years
at 500, 900 gallons q day. has recently
! been metered, and has since shown an
actual consumption of 100000 gallons
q day. Only 1856 out Of 474 parks and
reservations are included in the esti-
mate OF water consumption under this
heading Many other parks and reser-
vations are receiving water service
which IL not accounted for in the con-
sumption statement.
Attention Is also called TO the ap-
propriation made from the general reve-
nues Of the District of Colun bia pub
lie, No. 52l, list Congress-. providing
| for water for the National Geological
| Park for 1891. This indicates that
| Congress Intended that payment should
be made from general revenues Of the
District 70 the water fund for the water
used. Apparently this ID the only gov
srnmental activity for which the pay
ment Of water has been specifically
provided.
AT present many construction con-
tracts Of both the Federal and District
Of Columbia Governments specify that
water shall be furnished to the con-
tractors without charge. The net re-
suit of this practice is that part of the
cost OF constructing buildings and other
works Is borne by the water fund. This
practice appears to be inconsistent with
the plan to support the water system
| entirely out of revenues carried TO the
water fund, and should be discon-
| tinued''
The bureau also suggests that "an
effort should be made 10 estimate more
accurately the water used by the Dis
trict government through unmetered
outlets"
One Of the exhibits prepared by the
Efficiency Bureau shows water costs
computed on the total quantity OF water
sold by the majority equitable owners
fn
suits obtained in this exhibit, the bu-
reau states:
THE cost per million gallons pro-
duced. on cash expenditure basis,
without giving due consideration to de-
probation. is little more than half the
cost per million gallons computed on a
basis OF water sold. In other words,
little more than half the total water
produced Is revenue bearing The bal
ance Is water used withou charge by
the Federal and District Governments
and water which is not accounted for"
Rates Here Steadily Increase.
Not only are the private consumers
meeting the operating expenses of the
entire system. which supplies this free or
wasted water. but they are paying rates
suf11clent to cover also extensions and
Detterments. Less than two years ago
water rates and main assessments were
increased to provide additional funds
for a f1ve-year program of extensions
ana improvements. These extensions
and betternents should be financed
from the general revenues, toward
which the Federal Government makes
contribution. Items Of plant enlarge
ment that benefit the system and the
xrh Sh
from water revenues. The practice of
meeting such expenditures from water
rates tends to preclude the possibility
OF keeping down the price of this
necessity.
Money for plant construction is con-
tributed by the community, the peopIe
OF Washington, whether it is paid by
property owners In the shape of gem
eral taxes or in the shape of special
water taxes, called water rentals.
Public Ownership of Plant.
There are several reasons why mu-
inequalities prefer publicly owned and
operated water plants to privately own
ed water plants. operated for profit.
One is that adequate protection Of
water supply is best obtained by con-
demnation of water sheds. Another is
that the best guarantee of preserving
pure source of water and maintain
ing high standard of purity is gov
ernmental ownership. A third is that
the large amount of capital required
FOR construction Of water plant can
be borrowed on better terms by a gov
ernment than by individuals.
a fourth, and the most important. is
that under public ownership the mu-
nicipality comes nearest the common
desideratum Of an abundant supply Of
pure water at low rates a supply that
Is adequate for fire protection and one
that permits unlimited use by the
municipality and by the individual
consumer.
Cheap. Plentiful Water.
II community Owns its water supply
plant and furnishes water to itself the
ideal condition is reached when at a
minimum Of cost to the water-usine
community a maximum of water flows
through the city, furnishing an abun-
dance OF wholesome water for drinking,
bathing, sewer flushing. street cleaning.
irrigation Of gardens and lawns and
contributing in largest degree to the
city's heaithfulness.
In Washington the local community.
by large, annual expenditures on con-
stHuctinE and extending both the SUD-
ply and distribution system, has be-
come two-thirds equitable owner of
the systems, but uses only a little more
than one half of the total water pro-
duced, and is made to pay in successive
years a steadily increasing amount to
meet the whole cost of maintenance.
operation and construction of the
whole water plant, furnishing. in addi-
tion, free water to the users and
wasters Of nearly One-haIf Of the water
produced. Normally, the increasing
equity in the ownership Of the water
plant by the local community should
serve to lower the communitys water