Evening star., 1947-01-31
Bill Would End
Free Wafer for
u. 5. and D. {.
Commissioners PIon
Provides Looms to
Improve System
By Henry A, Muslin

Improve System
By Henry A. Muslin
Congress had before it today the
Districts own plan for providing
long-term improvements to it's over
burdened water supply system.
The plan, embodied in a bill sent
to Capitol Hill yesterday, would
eliminate "free water" to both the
Federal and District governments.
It also would permit the Commits
sioners to negotiate 25-year loans
with. the Treasury Department to
obtain money for water system i'm
provements.
No change Is proposed for the
existing water distribution SYSTEM,
which is run by the Commissioners
through the Water Department, with
the supply end under control of the
Army Engineers. The city heads
control budget expenditures for both
distribution and supply.
McCarran Unification Opposed.
Churches and charitable institu-
tions now getting free water would
continue to do so, but the value of
the water given them would be
credited to the water fund from
general fund revenues.
The measure was regarded as the
Commissioners answer to water sys-
tenn proposals contained in a bill
introduced in Congress last year by
Senator McCarran, Democrat, of
Nevada and recently reintroduced
IN the current session.
The McCarran plan also seeks an
end to the practice of providing free
water to the Federal Government.
1t would unity the water system,
however, under a proposed water
administration, to be handled by the
Engineer Commissioner. The ad-
ministration would be empowered to
issue bonds to finance capital i'm
provements. The unification idea is
opposed by the city heads.
Emissions Meeting Deficit.
The Commissioners bill would
provide means of financing a pro-
gram of water system improvements
outlined to Congress last year. It
envisions expenditure of more than
$5o,000,000 on new pumping stations,
filter plants, trunk lines and the like
over a 43-year period.
1t also would enable the city to
meet a $4,516,740 Water Department
deficit anticipated under terms of
the 1948 budget estimates sent to
Congress. Making the Federal and
District governments pay for water
on the same basis as anybody else
would bring in an estimated $685.
900, which about $685. 900 would be
from Federal agencies alone.
The remainder of the deficit, 1t
was explained, could be made up
through the Federal loan plan. The
Commissioners bill would permit
them to pay back the Treasury with
surplus water funds at rate of in
terest to be determined by the
Secretary of the Treasury.
The Commissioners would be en-
powered to negotiate such loans
whenever money necessary for i'm
provements was not available from
operating revenues.
In their letter of transmitta1, the
Commissioners termed their plan a
solution to the city's water prob
lens with complete equity to the
public and to the Federal and Dis
tr1ct governments" They pointed
out that private citizens and COM
mercial consumers now are bearing
the entire water cost.
Needs by 1860 Estimated.
They estimated that maintenance
of the present water rates would
make necessary the borrowing of
about $23,OO0,000 of the $4,000 ,0OO-
odd deemed necessary to long-term
upkeep of the water system. About
80 per cent of the desired improve
ments will be required by 1860, 1t
was said.
Pointing out that the value of
water used last year by the Federal
Government was $886,000 and that
used by the District Government,
$247,000, the city heads said it could
be fairly assumed" the Federal
Governments original 11,000, 900
investment in the system has by
now been satisfied"
The Commissioners also invited
attention to clause in their bill
authorizing repayment to the Fed
eral and District governments for
services rendered by them to the
water system. They estimated the
value of the service given the system
by the District government at
$l50,000 annually.
1t was pointed out that similar
bill was presented last year to the
Budget Bureau, which evidenced
no objection to its being sent to
Congress,