Evening star., 1948-12-05
Wafer Rate Rise
0rLoan Needed,
Gen. Young Says
New Revenue VituI
To Expansion Plans,
Enqineer Asserts

The possibility of another in
crease in the Districts water
rates was raised yesterday by
Engineer Commissioner Gordon
R. Young.
Gen. Young said he would present
to the Board of Commissioners with
in 10 days a report on the study
made by David v. Auld, superintend-
ent of the water division, of the
first "leg" of a 20-year, $4,000 900
expansion of the citys water system.
This first phase of the long-ranse
program calls for between $4,000 900
and $20,O0O,O00 to be spent in the
next five years, Gen. Young SAID.
The city's water system now Is
overloaded severely, he declared,
adding that in a short time it will
reach the danger point.
Expansion Funds Necessary.
Although self-supporting at pres
ent, the water system can "just get
through the fiscal year 1850" Gen.
Young said. Then money must ne
found not only to carry on the OPP
Grafton, but for expansion that has
become a necessity.
Obviously, the necessary funds
must be raised by another increase
in water rates (rates went up 70
per cent last year, by borrowing or
by a combination of both, Gen.
Young said.
The engineer commissioner SAID
he had not decided yet just which
way of financing the water expan-
sion program he would recommend
to the commissioners. He also said
he would not release the details OF
the study made by Mr.. Auld until
after the commissioners had worked
on it.
I'VE cannot do it with the pres
ent rates." he declared. He pointed
out that the present rates gave
only a small margin over operating
expenses which could be used for
construction. BY fiscal 1851 there
will not be enough margin left to
carry out the work, he added.
Fayors Federal Payment.
1--WE must add to the water reVe-
nue." he said.
He said he was in favor OF the
Federal Government paying for the
water it actually used. Until last
year the Federal Government, which
uses one-sixth of all water in the
District, paid nothing to the Dis.
trict. Last year Congress authorized
payment of 81 900, 900 to the District
water fund.
Gen. Young said this was about
the amount of water used by the
Federal Government since the Dis
trict used roughly $6,000,000 worth
of water now.
He said he felt it was only just,
and also practicable, for the Federal
Government to pay for what water
it uses just as it pays for telephone
and light service. With lump sum
appropriation, there is no flexibility
for the occasion when the Federal
consumption of water goes up.
The expansion plan recommended
by Mr.. Auld is based on an estimate
that the Capitals population will
reach 100000 by 1870. At present
it is under 100000. Two years ago,
the Army Chief of Engineers and
the District Engineering Depart
ment estimated that Washingtons
water consumption would rise to 64,-
0O0, 900 gallons daily by 1855
Peak Reached Ahead Of Time.
This level was reached early this
year, six and one-half years before
it should have been, Mr.. Auld said.
The increasing population. but
more important, the use OF "gad-
gets" has driven the water con-
sumption up in the city, Gen. Young
said.
More and more air conditioning
units, washing machines and trash
disposal units are being installed
each day, he pointed out. These
increase water consumption tre-
mendously. In turn, it place a
strain on the sewage system and
the disposal plants which have to
handle all these added gallons. ne
added.
Gen. Young only would say that
the recommended SIS, 5,000, 900 to $20.-
900 900 worth of improvements meant
expansion of the filtration, storage
and distribution systems.
The Potomac River will be able
to furnish enough water to the
District indefinitely, Gen. Young
said. 1t is only a question of getting
II IN fha 1,Sarc