Evening star., 1946-03-03
Commissioners Oppose
McCorron Water Plan
Contend Local Interests Would
Suffer After Unification
u John w. THOMPSON. Jy,

Suffer After Unihcation
By John w. Thompson, T.
The spotlight of public attention Is
beginning to focus on the split jurisdic-
| tion in the District water system and
| the question Of what, If any, changes
should be made to streamline It's oper-
alton
On the engineering side, the course
Of development has been charted for
the next half century-so far as that Is
humanity possible-in the gigantic water
supply and distribution expansion pro-
gram made public a few days ago at
the Capitol. The plan was worked out
ct the request Of Congress by District
" i Army engineers, and
calls for expenditures of SAL 900 900 in
improvements during the next 43 years.
Water oficials this week will defend
| Congress and these contain the appro-
| priation request which will start the
program going next July.
On the other hand, still awaiting
hearings In the Senate Is the bill by
Senator McCarran, Democrat, Of Nevada,
aimed at consolidating the dual control
which now places the distribution sys-.
tenn under the Commissioners and the
supply under the Army engineers. The
measure would set up water admins
tration headed by the District Engineer
Commissioner, to administer both and
to finance Improvements through bond
issues. 1t would also terminate the free
water" now provided to all Federal
Government establishments and to the
District government Only churches and
charities would continue to be served
free.
The case for consolidation, OF course
is based on the principle of good ad-
ministration that places responsibility
and control in single person or agency.
1t provides for performance, not from
cooperating groups, but from single
authority. A sample OF the difhculties
arising in split jurisdiction in another
field can be found in the recent re-
lationships between the Commissioners
and the Board OF Public Welfare. And
sample Of improved operation re-
sulting from consolidation is present
in the Board OF Recreation which was,
superimposed over the old municipal
playground department, the Board OF
Eoucations community center depart
ment, and the Once Of National Capital
Parks. While ultimate authority over
park property has never been turned
over to the board, 1t conducts opera
tions on parkland through the parks
office member Of the board.
In the case of water, however. the
Commissioners are not seeking uni
fication. To the contrary, they are
interested in preserving the status quo
Of dual control. They so indicated in
a preliminary report on the McCarran
bill last December and in the mill at
the District Building is their own bill,
which they feel will include all the
good points Of the McCarran measure
and omit or substitute alternatives for
those with which they do not agree.
To the District, the trouble is one
Of finance, not administration. Water
ofheials have always gotten along hand
somely with the Army engineers at the
aqueduct since the Civil War days,
when the first Potomac River water
was pumped to District consumers re-
placing the hodge podse Of wells and
springs that previously had constituted
the urce of supply. They feel that
the overall control Of the water ex-
penditures by the Commissioners is
sufficient and that replacement Of the
Army engineers would be both costly
and difheult. In addition the engi-
neers have access to Army equipment
which would be lost to the city If q
change we're to be made. They pro-
vide Z military safeguard for the water
supply which was essential during the
war, and useful, If not necessary, today.
Thus the Commissioners are distinctly
cool to the idea Of 4 separate water
commission which might deprive them
Of these benefits The advantage Of
unification is paper" one to them
while the disadvantages are very
concrete.
Furthermore they are more inclined
to seek lons-term loans from the Federal
Government to finance Improvements
than to 90 through the expense Of is
suing and calling in bonds through q
separate commission.
In the matter of income from water
supplied. however. the city heads are
in complete accord with the Senate
measure. The large volume OF water
that goes annually free to the Federal
Government Is sort OF dividend on the
initial investment by the United States
in the water supply Is what hurts. As
they see it the Federal equity has ex-
pired. The National Government ought
to pay just as any other consumer.
Generally speaking, the Federal Gov
ernment has put something less than
$lo,0oo,o00 into the water system
through direct appropriation, WPA
funds, Lanham Act grants, and special
allocations. More than sll 900 900 has
been appropriated from the District
Treasury OF which about $4,000, 900 con-
tanned some measure of Federal funds
IN Cne years OF proportlonate share by
the Federal Government in District ex-
penses. District water consumers
through water rents have put about
s235oo,ooo into the system, giving the
entire establishment 4 valuation Of a
little under $45, 900 900.
No figures that can be called reliable
exist Is to the amount Of free water
furnished the Federal Government in
the early days. But a water study In