Evening star., 1943-08-26
Action on Water Bill
Collection System
Held Up for Report
Objections Foreseen
To Beckett Plan for
Cash Deposit in Advance

Informal debate continued today
at the District Building as to what
new system should be adopted for
| collection of bills for the municipal
| water service, with decision await
ing recommendations from an in
| yeStigating board headed by Cor
poration Counsel Richmond b
Keech. ?
Water. Department officials, it was
revealed, have suggested a new sys-
tenn which would eliminate the pres
ent practice under which minimum
metered bills are rendered for a
year in advance, along with charges
for excess usage recorded for a past
year.
The plan of Humphrey Beckett,
Water Department superintendent,
it was explained, called for a cash
deposit at the beginning of a year,
plus a service charge. Of the de-
posit, none, part or all would be re-
turned to the customer, depending
on the amount of water used.
ODJcct1OnS FOreSeen.
Othe- District officials, to whom
this suggestion was submitted
agreed that it would avoid some
confusion caused by the present sys-
tenn, but foresaw the possibility of
other objections. They questioned
whether the Beckett suggestion
would prove any simpler and
whether the consumer would well
come the idea of putting up a cash
deposit any more than being billed
minimum charge for a year in
advance.
Members of the investigating
board, 1t was revealed yesterday, are
considering a plan to make the
property owner specifically respon-
sible for water bills for his premises,
whether used by himself or tenants.
A part of this plan would be an
amendment to law to provide for
lien against the property in case
of nonpayment of water bills.
Officials Voice Doubts.
Water Department officials, it was
made clear, have their doubts about
such system. They voiced fears
that tenants might use much more
water if they knew their landlords
rather than themselves would be
held responsible for bills, and
thereby place huge additional sup
ply demand on the water system.
Also, they said they feared the rent
control authorities would be loaded
with contests over water bills.
Chairman Keech declined COM
ment, saying he wished to permit
the board to complete its survey
and report to the Commissioners be-
fore discussing issues.
Hebert Plans Inquiry.
Representative Hebert, Democrat.
of Louisiana announced today the
Fiscal Affairs Subcommittee of the
House District Committee, which he
heads, planned to make an inde-
pendent investiga ton of the water
department and its methods of COL
lecting bills.
A committee of District officials
appointed by the Commissioners is
now making a similar inquiry.
Mr.. Hebert said he had been in
formed water had been turned off
for more than month at two prop
critics in the $500 block of F. street
NV. because of non payment of a
water bill of Sl20. Failure to COL
lect the water rent before it reached
such proportions, he declared ap-
peared to him to be "a clear evidence
Of negligence"
Kutz Glad to Cooperate"
Engineer Commissioner Charles
w. Kutz, who has supervision over
the Water Department as well as
over all the engineer divisions of
| the District government, said today
that If the Hebert subcommittee of
| the House District Committee
wished to make an inquiry into
the water registrars Office he would
be glad to cooperate.
A congressional investigation is
one means of providing Congress
with information, he said, adding
that he would be pleased to give
Mr.. Hebert and his committee any
information available.
Col Kutz expects to have con-
siderable data in hand soon when
Corporation Counsel Keech and his