Evening star., 1942-09-04

than 100000 smaller than that for
the current year, the Senate District
Committee may complete within a
few days its investigation of the
water situation, it was learned today.
The inquiry was sponsored by
Chairman McCarran early this year
as a search for possible economies
to determine whether higher rates
could be avoided and still meet the
heavy requirements being placed on
the system by the war.
Most of this added burden is
result of expanded Government ac-
tivities.
Drainage Channel Planned.
Meanwhile, at the District Build
ing, details of the 1914 Water and
Sewer Department estimates were
announced.
Plans to construct a drainage
channel along Piney Branch Park
way between Sixteenth street and
Rock Creek at cost of $157 900 to
relieve offensive and unsatisfactory
conditions in the vicinity after heavy
rainfalls is proposed by the Sewer
Department.
The projected improvement along
Piney Branch Parkway is one of the
items in the 81 sos ,578 budget sought
for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1914. This request represents a re-
duction of 1921 ,682 from the S1,777,-
260 appropriation made to the Sewer
Department for the 1943 budget year.
AT the same time, Water Depart
ment requests aggregating $3,197, ,245
for the 1914 budget year, or S117,65O
less than for 1943, were disclosed by
the Commissioners. Although the
Washington aqueduct will require
an increased appropriation of $685.
$40 because of the increased load
| occasloned by the rise in population.
according to the Water Department.
this would be offset by cut of
81 ,013,270 for the distribution system.
Sl,721,320 for Acqueduct.
The new request for the aoueduct
is S1,721 800, as compared with $685.
TOO for 1943, and that for the dis
trloutlon system is 81 ,475,925 instead
of S2,489, 1875 for 1O43.
The department warned that the
| rapidly increasing demands made
1or water service were likely to re-
suit In inadequate water supply be-
fore new facilities to meet the heavy
load can be provided. 1t was pointed
out that the program for the plan
ming and construction of new con-
dults, pumping stations, filter plant,
chemical treatment facilities and
miscellaneous items would not be
completed in less than seven years.
IN view of the time required for
the completion of a project of the
magnitude involved" it was stated
1T will be impossible to provide new
and additional facilities before the
present plants are heavily overtaxed
ana the city and it's environs placed
IN precarious position, insofar as
an adequate water supply is con-
cerned."
Demand Above Rated Supply.
1t was pointed out that the water
demands during July ranged from
l60,O00,o00 gallons to 167 900 900 GAL
Ions per day, while the sustained
production cacacity of the present
system is rated at 155,0O0 900 gallons
per day. 1t is estimated this demand
will increase, during the peak month
Of July, to 1919, 100000 gallons a day
in l943 and to 2o2, 100000 gallons in
1914.
Inclusion by the Sewer Depart
ment of the $157 900 Piney Branch
drainage project in the new budget
is the elimination of a large num-
Der of complaints from residents OF
the area in connection with insani-
tary conditions that developed after
each heavy rainstorm. Five major
trunk lines converge at a point in
the parkway west of Sixteenth street
and in line with Spring road. Dur
ing heavy transforms, the over
charge from these conduits runs into
Piney Branch stream and flows
westward into Rock Creek.
Because of the jagged and wind
ing condition of the stream, the de-
partment reported, the waters
usually overflow their banks.
Would Deepen Bed.
The budget request contemplates
eXcavating 2,840 linear feet of
the stream bed to a lower grade
and providing for paving this bed at
some future time. According to the
department, it was felt that paving
the stream bed now would be OBJ
jectionable from landscape point
OF view, but excavation would be
done in a way to permit such paving
work later.
The Sewer Department also seeks
permission to spend $489,877, or $14,-
1873 more than was asked last year,
for 26 new sewer construction prof.
ects. Included In this request are
number of projects to provide
stormwater sewers in areas that