Evening star., 1949-12-03
No Woter Shortage Here

I No Wuter Shortage nere
As New York newspapers continue to give
front-page space to the grave water short
age in the New York City area ana IN
nearby Connecticut and New Jersey, 1t IS
reassuring to Washingtonians to learn that
the local water supply is as plentiful as
ever. The Potomac has never failed the
city, even during periods or record break
ing drought-as in 1881. Officials here
Are not worried about our water source, but
they are worried about the inadequacy OF
the city's facilities for collecting, purifying
and distributing the water required by this
growing community.
According to David v. Auld, superintend-
ent of the District Water Division, Wash
ingtons water supply is less likely to be
affected by drought than New York's be-
cause we have the entire upper basin OF
the Potomac River and its tributaries
working for us. New York City, instead Of
depending on the Hudson, collects its water
from lakes and streams In the Catskills
and from the Croton River. This makes
for cleaner supply, but one more suscep-
tible to the influence of prolonged droughts
of the type that has hit New York State
and New England this year. The Potomac
II more contaminated than the Catskill-
0foton water when 1t enters the filtration
plant and hence requires more chlorina-
taon, sedimentation and other treatment.
But there is an apparently inexhaustible
supply-enough, is estimated, for popula-
ton three times that now using 1t.
Something will have to be done before
long to make certain that this adequate
supply from the Potomac watershed Is
delivered always in sufficient amounts to
local customers. The Federal Government,
which controls the water supply. and the
District, which handles the distribution
end, are three years behind in the long
range program of development OF the
water system. The two conduits which
bring water from Great Falls have a
total capacity Of 233. 600 900 gallons
d day, and that capacity production
vas exceeded several times the past sum
Iner On August IA the city used an all
time high of 241, 100000 gallons. This
meant overworked pumps and lowered
levels in the reservoirs, but, fortunately,
there were no serious mechanical break
downs and the emergency soon passed.
The water plant is being improved through
q construction program begun some
months ago, however. Modernization OF
the Bryant street pumping station, to
be completed next year, will raise Its Ca
bacity from 100000 gallons day to
about zoo, ,O00, ,000 Nearing completion also
IRE new filtration and sedimentation ia
eilities at Dalecarlia. The Georgetown
reservoir Is to be rebuilt.
All of these improvements will help to
provide q safer margin between delivery
Ind consumption. But an even larger
safety margin Is urgently needed, accord
ing TO Mr. Auld and other water supply
authorities. To provide this larger Ca
pAcity, additional pumping facilities should
be built at Dalecarlia, with new receiv-
ing basin there. Later it will be necessary
TO take more water from the river by means
Of dam just above Little Falls. The
funds for such major capital improvements
cannot be provided on the present pay
as-you.go basis Mr.. Auld has recon-
nended that the District borrow the money
TO undertake these long-range improve
nents. The Federal Government should
finance its fair share of the construction
program. The cost thus would be dis
tributed equitably over period OF years.
with future users helping to share the
burden. That is q sensible and practicable
approach to solution Of washington's only
Rater problem-that Of treating and dis
tributing the supply which the old reliable
Potomac brings to our door.