WATER CONSUMPTION JAN. FEB. MARCHAPRIL MAY JUNE 360 Million Gallons per day. Consumption below th above this Ave Consumption in 191 TEMPE TH HE graph of this year's water consumption in Philadelphia throws light on certain manners, habits and customs of water users. The first thing that calls for explanation is the sharp peak in February when the temperature dropped. This is due to the opening of spigots all over the city to prevent the freezing of water pipes. The second range of peaks comes as the temperature mounts in summer. The increased bathing and laundry work, the sprinkling of streets, lawns and gardens, the opening of fire-plugs, the swimming and wading pools all pile up the summer load on the Water Bureau. The second week of July of this year illustrates how close is the relation of temperature to the use of water. The next point which strikes the eye is the "safety line" and the fact that, with the exception of a couple of weeks, we have lived considerably beyond it all this year. The Water Bureau situation is briefly this: The big Tor resdale filtration plant and Lardner's Point pumping station furnish two-thirds of the water supply and deliver to all of the northeastern, central and southern parts of the city, while the Belmont, Queen Lane and Shawmont pumping stations and the Belmont, Roxborough and Queen Lane filters supply the rest of the city. Last year we were using all of the filters and pumps up to the maximum capacity and the water supply was still deficient in some places during the summer months. This year two new pumps are being installed, one at Lardner's Point and one at Queen Lane, which will serve to ease up the load somewhat; nevertheless the situation is far from satisfactory. We are too dependent upon Torresdale and Lardner's Point. We work those plants almost to capacity all of the time and sometimes we push them even harder. The chief of the Water Bureau has estimated that in normal times an additional expenditure of $7,000,000 for pumps, filters, reservoirs, and lines partially duplicating the Torresdale and Lardner's Point equipment and distribution mains leading therefrom, would provide a first-class system ready for emergencies and capable of supplying all legitimate needs and of meeting the demands of a growing city. But no amount of additional equipment can be sure of solving our problem, if water waste is permitted. Hence the Water Bureau is urging and in some cases compelling installation of meters, which ought to discourage waste, if anything can. The chief of the Water Bureau feels certain that if the water waste were eliminated the curve of water consumption would come much nearer the safety zone and a satisfactory pressure could be maintained in all parts of the city. After a year's experience with a considerable number of meters, the amount of this waste can be more definitely measured and located. The opening of spigots in cold weather, above referred to, is a crude and extravagant preventive of trouble. Yard hydrants left running in this way not only waste city water but make a dangerous coating of ice over yards and sidewalks. Indoor plumbing, if properly packed, may cost a little more to install but will pay for itself in decreased water waste, fewer frozen pipes and fewer accidents, three items now divided between the city, the owner and the tenant, with the result that no one realizes the total. 20180 CITIZENS' BUSINESS TO PROMOTE EFFICIENT AND SCIENTIFIC MAN- Issued weekly by the No: BUREAU OF MUNICIPAL RESEARCH Sept. 20, 278 805 Franklin Bank Building, Philadelphia Subscription, Fifty cents a year 1917 Entered as second-class matter June 7, 1913, at the Post Office at HCL The New York: Public Library 476 Fifth Ave. New York Cit Are wages keeping pace with prices? There is no wisdom in glossing over some unpleasant facts. *This item does not appear in the table for Philadelphia. That prices have been soaring for a number of years everyone knows. The actual degree of resulting hardship, however, cannot be fully understood unless we know definitely the effect of this flight of prices on the cost of absolute necessities. Perhaps some idea may be gained regarding this aspect of the situation from the foregoing figures furnished by the Associated Charities of Worcester, Mass. These figures show the increase since September 30, 1915, in the cost of a “relief unit” consisting of articles that even a charity family cannot do without. Notice particularly the two columns to the right giving the percentages of increase. |