Evening star., 1943-01-17
Budget Cuts Water Services
$7,24O,OOO as Crisis Grows
Commissioners Warn Overloaded System
Faces Even More 'Precurous Situation =

Already operating under "over-
loaded conditions the Districts
water services, according to the
Commissioners, faces an even more
'precarious situation" in the COM
ing fiscal year beginning July l on
the basis of the budget now before
Congress.
About all the budget does, as far
as relief is concerned, is to look to
the future and provide $25 600 for
plans and specifications for extern
sions to the water system-a project
the Commissioners estimate will
take seven years to complete-and to
set aside 100000 of the Water De-
partment's revenues in reserve
fund being built up to finance the
additional facilities.
The call of the wartime popula-
ton on water services in Washing
ton and nearby Maryland and Vir-
ginia, the Commissioners told the
Budget Bureau, makes more urgent
than ever an increase in water sup
ply facilities" But all the Water
Department is allowed to spend in
the new fiscal year is S2,167 1903,
about $1,240,000 less than it was
granted In the present fiscal year
for operation, maintenance and i'm
provements.
Daily Peak Rises.
Water Department statistics show
the average daily consumption
jumped from s4,00000O gallons a
day In 1881 to 121 10000 gallons in
1912, or an increase of about As per
cent. The average daily consump-
ton for the current fiscal year is
placed at 144,900,000 gallons, and for
the coming fiscal year it Is estimated
the figure will increase to $4,000, 900
gallons.
The maximum amount of water
furnished in any one day of the
calendar year has increased from
100000 gallons in 1881 to 166. TOO
600 on July 20, 1912, an all-time
record" the Commissioners declared
1T is estimated that the maximum
increase in 1943 will be 191 100000
gallons, against sustained capacity
of l55, 100000 gallons, which will be
increased after rehabilitation of the
Mcmillan filter and completion of
the new Mcmillan filter reservoir to
170000,000 gallons.
In order to maintain the high
standard of service and quality of
water necessary for the welfare of
the citizens of the District and en-
vironS and in order to provide for
the constantly increasing demands,
augmented by the war effort, an
appropriation of the same amount
is required in the coming fiscal
year."
Cite Value of Survey.
Explaining the seven-year period
for preparation of plans and specifi-
cations for extension of the water
system, the Commissioners pointed
out it would take two years for
finishing the plans, four more years
for construction of conduits and
filter plants, and one additional year
at least for "shakedown and operat-
ing tests"
In view of the time required for
the completion of a project of the
magnitude involved" the Commits
sioners said, sit will be impossible
to provide new and additional IA
cillties before the present plants are
heavily overtaXed and the city and
It's envlronS placed in a precarious
position, insofar as an adequate
water supply is concerned"
In an effort to save water waste
through leakage, the budget car
ries an item of $4,000 for a survey
to find out what part of the total
consumption is not serving anv use
1ul purpose. A similar three-year
survey in the fiscal years 1881 to
1884 inclusive, stopped the flow of
l4,000,000 gallons of waste a dav.
Work Of this character" said
the Commissioners, should be
prosecuted vigorously, in view of the
present difficulties in the procure
ment Of materials for plant ex-
pansion and to make the wasted
water available for use as quickly
as possible to meet the increasing
demands"
VIII Improve Boulevard.
increases are allowed in the bud
get 10 pay the added cost of pump
ing and purifying the additional