Meter Laboratory in Jersey City.

Meter Laboratory in Jersey City.

In Jersey City, N. J., meters are now becoming commonly used, and J. W. Griffin, engineer of the water department, writes as follows on the subject of keeping them in repair:

"A meter is a piece of machinery and, like all machinery, requires constant care and attention to maintain its accuracy. This department has instituted a system of inspection of all meters, which entails the employment of an additional force. That such a move is justified is amply proved by the increase in revenues, while the consumption of water in 1908 was actually less than in 1907. If further proof is needed, however, in justification of the employment of inspectors, the records of this department show that the result of proper inspection has reduced the payments to the Jersey City Water Supply company by $192.50 per day. A modern up-todate and efficient meter laboratory has also been equiped and installed. This enables this branch of the water department to test all meters, as required, and secure all the revenue due the city for water supplied. Notwithstanding the increased expense tints incurred, the deficit of 1906-7 has been converted to a handsome net revenue for 1908-9, and the expenses of the department have been reduced by 5.4 per cent. The increase in the consumption of water for 1907 over 1906, as previously shown, was 9.2 per cent. Had this ratio of increase been allowed to continue, the water supply of Jersey City would have become inadequate in the year 1910, and the city would have been put to an additional expense involving the expenditure of several millions of dollars to provide an additional water supply. We deemed it more expedient to employ inspectors and install meter-testing devices at nominal cost.”