Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-11-19
Rockville Eases
Wafer Crisis by
Aid Of Firenlen
Supply Pumped From
Rock Creek Brings
Up Pressure


Residents of Rockville had warn.
ings today to use water sparingly
and to boil all they drink, after linz
tied replenishment OF supplies which
almost gave out last night.
A breakage of pumping equipment
on three Of the towns 10 wells from
which water Is pumped into the stor.
age tanks, inability to obtain new
equipment and a lowering of the
water table in the ground due to
insufficient rainfall In recent weeks.
were blamed for the shortage by
Rockville officials.
j. G. Mcdonald, town engineer.
said normal water pressure of about
IL pounds would be restored by early
afternoon. He said the fire engines.
which have been pumping all night.
VIII be able to stop pumping water
from Rock Creek when the pressure
is brought up.
He warned that the creek water
being chlorinated and pumped into
the town mains, is unfit for drinking
unless boiled for 10 minutes.
AT all drinking fountains in Rock
vllie, there were signs today saying.
Don't drink the water"
Supply May Go Down Again.
Mr Mcdonald said he still could
not md parts for the broken pumps
and that without these parts the
water supply probably would be
down again in a few days, necessi-
tating resumption of pumping from
the creek.
During the pumping last night,
nremen had to take time off to put
out chimney fire at a house on
Bridge street.
Flremen were all in a near state
OF exhaustion this morning, most of
tnem having worked all night with
out letup.
The towns $500 residents either
were entirely without water for sew
eral hours during the night or could
OBTAIN no more than a dribble from
their faucets.
Inc worst features of the emer-
gency were eased, at least tempo-
rarily, when members of the Rock
vile Volunteer Fire Department
used $500 feet of fire hose-some
OF 1t borrowed-to pump water from
ROCK Creek, 2 miles south Of the
town, into mains serving the COM
munity. Emergency steps followed
special meeting OF the Town
Council.
Two Wells Nearing Completion.
"A spokesman for the Town Coun-
Gil said there had been plenty of
water in the town mains for normal
use, but disclosed that a sudden
splurge OF water using on Sunday
caused the supply to drop more
rapidly than expected. He said
town officials had been aware OF
the situation for several DAYS. blu,
were hoping to secure new equip.
ment for repairs in time to pre-.
vent shortage.
Mr.. Macdonald said that Rockville
normally uses twice the capacity OF
It's two storage tanks daily. He said
a new 400,000-gallon storage tank
mad been under contract since last
March and was being constructed
Two new wells also are nearing COM
pletion, he said.
w. Valentine Wilson, chief of the
Rockville Fire Department, who was
cited by many town residents as the
one who prevented Rockville from
going completely dry, declared that
outside Of rumors," the first knowl-
edge ne had of pending water
shortage was on Sunday night when
the pressure meter at the flrehouse
registered only 10 pounds, one-half
the normal pressure poundage in the
community. Last night the meter
went down to Is pounds and this
left the storage tanks empty, he
added.
Residents Warned by Phone,
At midnight, few minutes after
the pumping of water was started.
Chief Wilson said the pressure had
returned to 65 pounds.
Chief Wilson said he called the
Rockville telephone about 7 pm.
and asked that residents be notified.
He said that extra operators were
added and they phoned residents
the following message:
Rockville is out of water. Con-
serve all you can. Boil before
drinking and tell your next-door
neighbor the situation"
Members of the Rockville Cham
Der OF Commerce, which also met
last night, conducted a house-to-
house canvass to warn residents
and a radio sound truck was used
to tour the streets making an.
nouncements.
Town Councilmen Meet.
The four Rockville town council
men, Louis j. Ryan, J. Bache Avert,
Frank E. Williams and Oliver H.
Perry, met with Mr.. Macdonald and
Town Attorney F. Bernard Welsh
at the firehouse. Mayor G. LIE Mar
Kelly was absent because of an ILL.,
ness in a Baltimore hospital.
Three of Rockville's five fire en-
gines were placed in service over
the Emile stretch on Viers Mill
road to pump water. Additional
hose was provided by the Chevy
Chase, Takoma Park and Silver
Spring Fire Departments.
More than SO fireman assisted,
many OF whom remained on duty all
night. The chlorinating equipment
was supplied by the Washington
Suburban Sanitary Commission.