The Consumption of Water in the District of Columbia.

The Consumption of Water in the District of Columbia.

IT is stated that the daily per capita consumption of water in the District is 209.9 gallons, and, further, it is remarked that there is an abundant supply, that its cost is low, and that instead of making any effort to reduce consumption, it is recommended that money be spent to purify the water. As an example of how to treat the problem of what constitutes the best method to successfully apply in restoring the efficiency of a water-works plant rendered inefficient by indifference of administration, this beats the record. To use plainer language, it could have been stated thus to the people of the District of Columbia: You are now using daily per capita 209.9 gallons of water; it is the largest daily per capita consumption of any city in the Union, but never mind. So long as the Potomac holds out we will build more aqueducts to supply the demand; and in order to make things reasonably comfortable we will put in a fdter plant, so that the water you waste, at least from one-half to two-thirds of the total amount consumed, may be pure water.

Sixty odd million of people contribute to making the District of Columbia what it is in the way of public building streets and avenues; also to making the water-works what it is. Many of. the people in their homes in many cities are notified by municipal and corporate authority to be careful in the use of water. It seems strange that the commissioners of the District of Columbia fail to recognize the influence of their indifference on this vital question.