Evening star., 1942-10-06
Mason Sees
No Increase in
Water Rates
Gives Assurance to
McCarron at PorIey
On GoIIineer Heotin!

Commissioner Guy Mason has
assured Chairman McCarran Of the
Senate District Committee there
will be no increase In local water
rates.
The assurance was given late yes
terday during an informal discuss
sion Of the preliminary report on
the committees investigation of the
water system, which led Senator
McCarran to the conclusion that
no increase in rates would be justi-
ned at this time.
Senator McCarran called the
conference primarily to find out
what steps District authorities are
taking to convert the Gallinger
Hospital heating plant back from
oil to coal, and was told by Mr..
Mason 1t hinges on whether the
War Production Board will grant
priorities for additional boilers and
other critical materials to enlarge
and reopen the old coal-burning
heating plant.
2,zS0,0 900 Gallons Of Oil.
Visiting the hospital at Senator
McCarran's request, r. r. Camalier,
committee counsel. found that the
new oil-burning plant, opened in
1910. requires $500 gallons of oil on
mild days and more than 5000
gallons daily in severe weather. For
the winter season, consumption is
estimated at 2,250,000 gallons, to
heat So buildings. including the
Jail and all hospital units.
One Of two coal-burning plants
used Is still standing, and Senator
McCarren was of the opinion it
would be good insurance to re-
habll1tate 1t, even If use of the oil
system could not be entirely elm
mated during the shortage.
The Federal Works Agency has
recently allotted funds, Commits
sioner Mason explained, for a 150-
bed addition to Gallinger, dormi-
tories for nurses and SIS 900 for al
terations that could be used to
recondition or enlarge the old coal
heating plant.
Question for Government.
The question still remaining he
said, is whether the War PRODUCE
ton Board will grant priorities for
additional boilers and equipment.
1t Is question. he said, of whether
the Government will be willing to
allot critical materials to save on
oil consumption or decide to con-
tinue the officiating plant and
save the critical materials for war
projects.
Turning to the water situation,
Senator McCarren called the Com
missioner's attention to the COM
mittee's report and restated his
own belief that an ample supply
OF water can be assured without
expensive new construction by max
ing minor alterations to the pres
ent filtration system and by cutting
down on the wastage, estimated by
the committees investigator at
27,0O0 900 gallons day.
The Senator cited the figures in
the report that IS OO0, 900 gallons a
Gay are paid for by private users
while 100000 gallons produce no
revenue, and that the latter figure
includes an estimated q 900 900 gall
lone of leakage or unaccounted- for
water.
Cites Daily Gallonage.
Senator McCarran said that, even
If it be assumed the District should
furnish water free to the Federal
Government. it should not be re-
quired to furnish more than Is
actually required. He cited a state
ment in the preliminary report that
on a normal summer day measure.
ments OF water flowing into Govern
ment buildings averaged 10 gallons
per regular occupant.
When Senator McCarran called
attention to the divided control over
the water system, with the Army
Engineer Corps controlling the sup
ply facilities while the District gov.
ernment runs the distribution sys-
tenn, Commissioner Mason agreed
there should be one authority. He
said 1t is for Congress to decide
where that authority should be
centered.
The main objective of Senator
McCarran's water inquiry was to
see II rate increases to local tax
payers. who pay the full cost of the
water system; could be avoided. Yes
terday's developments indicated that
objective had been attained.