Evening star., 1933-11-06
WATER BILL SLASH
OF S% IS URGED
Request of D. C. Heads Would
so Mean $500, 900 Saving 10
/ to Consumers.

A fiat reduction Of Is per cent in
water bills to be rendered during the
next fiscal year, estimated to effect q
gross saving TO consumers Of some $780,
600, Is being considered by officials of
the Bureau of the Budget in connec-
ton with. the 1885 District budget, II
was disclosed today.
This Is modification of the original
plan proposed by the District Commis-
sioners for means Of affording q saving
to District water users during the year
beginning next July /.
The change was urged upon Budget
Bureau ofncials last week during hear
ings on the 1885 budget before the Fed
eral oficials because Of o finding that
but q comparatively small percentage OF
local water consumers have been able to
take advantage Of the 10 per cent dis
count In bills allowed this year for
prompt payments.
Early Action Expected.
It Is expected the Budget Bureau will
reach q decision some time this week
during the course Of its general action
on items In the 1885 budget estimates.
These will be forwarded to Congress by
the President tn January.
Since the hearings on the budget
consumed but one week, 1t has been an
ticipated by District officials that few, II
any, drastic changes would be made by
the Budget Bureau. There has been no
announcement to date, however, of
what decisions would be reached
The present 10 per cent discount on
water bills for prompt payment of
charges. was ordered by Congress be-
cause Of an estimated large surplus In
Water Department revenues during the
ity conferred upon him by Congress, Dt-
rector Douglas Of the Budget Bureau re-
Gently released for use $501 900 of the
1894 fiscal year surplus water revenues.
Surplus Would Remain.
The proposed rs per cent fiat cut In
water rates for next year still would
leave a considerable surplus, District
officials estimate.
The 100000 saving In water bills next
year under the new plan would amount
to about one-third of the entire esti-
mated revenues OF the Water Depart
ment for this year.
Originally the Commissioners pro-
posed that the discount In rates be in
creased from the present 10 per cent to
Is per cent. They proposed also that the
discount period be raised from is to
80 days. It was urged also that the
'metered allowance" for q minimum
metered bill be increased from $500
cubic feet to 10000 cubic feet.
The rs per cent rate cut would in
clude this increase in the metered al
lowance.
Water consumers now pay $s.75 for
use Of 1900 cubic feet per year. There
Is charge OF 2 cents for each addi-
ttona 100 cubic feet used year.
Metsred Rate Would Be Ss.57.
II the Budget Bureau and Congress
approve the new plan the metered rate
would be $6.57 for the first 10000 cubic
feet and about cents for each addi-
tional 100 cubic feet, II Is calculated un-
oficiaIly.
The unmetered rate is $s.s5 q year
for two-story house having O l6-foot
frontage. Additional charges are levied
where properties are larger. Under the
new plan the basic rate for unmetered
water would be $7.39, 1t is computed.
It was revealed recently that only
about IS per cent Of water users billed
since July have been able TO take ad-
vantage Of the present 10 per cent dis
count allowed when bills are paid with
In Is days.