Evening star., 1945-04-01
Wafer Improvements
Adopted Since 1943
Praised by McCarran

Senator McCarran, Democrat, of
Nevada, author of bill to replace
the "hydra-headed" management
of the District water systems with
a centralized authority, yesterday
praised a series of physical i'm
provements he noted was achieved
In the last two years.
These improvements, anging
from an increase in the capacity of
the Mcmillan Reservoir to adop-
tion of a conservation program, he
said, were among recommendations
contained in reports of an investi-
cation he conducted in earlier
years as chairman of the Senate
District Committee.
For one thing, he said, no less
than 100000 gallons of water
are being saved daily by the in
stitution of a water conservation
program. Other large quantities, he
added, are being saved by investiga-
ton of leakage.
Promotes Efficiency.
In letter to Commissioner
John Russell Young, Senator Nc
Carran said he was happy to learn
OF favorable action taken on al
most ALL of the recommendation
contained in the Senate commit
tee study report of September l8,
1912. These, he added, were de-
signed to promote better operation,
thereby meeting increasing de-
mands for water with a minimum
expenditure of money. critical ma
terlalS and manpower."
Among improvements listed in the
McCarran letter were the following:
The Mcmillan slow-sand filters,
never before operated at rates in
excess of IS million gallons daily,
have been operating recently in ex-
cess Of 100 million gallons daily, and
now are being reconditioned to carry
basic load of 125 and a peak of
$50 million gallons. Alterations
also have been made to the outlet
control structures to permit greater
rates of flow and more flexible oper-
alton.
New Pumps Planned.
A new pump of modern design is
being installed at the downstream
end of the city tunnel to increase
the flow capacity between the
Georgetown reservoir and Mcmillan
Lake from IS to $50 million gallons
daily.
New pumps of similar design soon
will be installed in the Mcmillan
low-lift station to increase it's ca
pacity to $50 million gallons daily.
The Bryant street pumping sta
ton now is operating more nearly
up to its capacity.
Changes have been made at the
Dalecarlia rapid-sand filter plant,
increasing its capacity from 80
million to 100 million gallons daily.
Old cast-iron water mains in the
distribution system are being cleaned
and cement-lined and their flow
capacities, in some instances, are
being nearly doubled.
COnsultant Given Credit.
Better intercommunication now
is in practice between stations oper-
ated by Army engineers and the
District Water Department. Tel
autograph equipment similar to that
used in railroad stations has been
installed.
Senator McCarran gave much
credit for the changes to recon-
mendations which had been sub
mitted to his committee by Fred
erick H. Weed, now chief of the
water supply section of the War
Production Board, who served in
1912 as an engineer consultant and
investigator for the Senate District
Committee.
A subcommittee of the District
Committee, headed by Senator
Johnston, Democrat, of South Caro-
lima has called on the Commits
sioners for report on the McCar-
ran bill and hearings may be sched-
uled shortly. The bill would set up
a new water administration, repre-
senting the Federal and District
Governments and the consuming
public, to take full control over
the systems. At present, the supply
system is managed by Army en-
gineers and the distribution, billing
and collection divisions by the Dis
trict Water Department.