ce dag eS i Rore ao) ee aca: LIBRARY ANNEX CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GIFT OF | J. C. Trautwine | Cornell “ooo Library TD 225.P54A3 1 ‘iii VOIMAWY NI NOILVLS DNIdWNd SHYOM YALVM LSHYl4a FHL LOB8lL—-SHYOM SBYVNOS Y3ALNSED THE WATER SUPPLY PROBLEM OF PHILADELPHIA SF AN ANALYSIS OF THE NEEDS OF THE WATER SERVICE WITH REFERENCE TO THE PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE SOURCES OF WATER SUPPLY AND WITH A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE WATER WORKS DEVELOPMENT PREPARED BY THE BUREAU OF MUNICIPAL RESEARCH OF PHILADELPHIA MAY, 1922 owt VD 2? 22s Fo As 14 ae H $2923380 INTRODUCTION This report has been prepared to focus attention on the needs of Philadelphia’s water service, and particularly on the recommendations contained in the report of the board of consult- ing engineers submitted in 1920. An effort has been made to set forth a clear picture of the existing system and of proposed future developments in as concise form as the large scope of the problem permits. The task of maintaining an adequate and acceptable water service naturally involves many phases of a highly technical en- gineering character. With these phases the citizen can ordinarily have only a passing acquaintance and even our legislators must necessarily depend upon the advice of engineering specialists. The citizen, however, will be interested in a general description of the facilities that serve him and in the broader phases of the problems that require solution. Accordingly, we have prepared this report in relatively non- technical language from the city records and the various tech- nical reports. We hope that a restatement of the problem may be of benefit to all those who are in any degree responsible for the formulation of municipal policy in regard to the water works. The work of preparing this report was done by James W. Follin and E. Lewis Burnham, engineers on the staff of the Bureau of Municipal Research. Invaluable co-operation was given by Mr. Carleton E. Davis, Chief of the Bureau of Water, and his assistants, in furnishing the necessary information and in pre- paring maps which are included. Grateful acknowledgment of these courtesies is hereby recorded. FREDERICK P. GRUENBERG Director, Bureau of Municipal Research TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTERS I, II. III. IV. VI. Importance of the Water Supply ................05. Existing Water Supply Facilities .................. Sources of Water Supply ............0000 eee ee Pumping Stations and Purification Works .......... Distribution System 22.0... 2.0... cee eee ees Private Water Supplies ...........-..0-. ccc ence Quantity of Water Supplied ..................... Quality of the Water Supplies ................0... High-Pressure Fire System ............2..--00005 Merits and Defects of the Existing System ......... Analysis of the Problem by the Bureau of Water.... Trade-Waste Pollution an Important Factor ........ Board of Consulting Engineers’ Report of 1920 ..... Securing Necessary Water Rights ................ Improvement of Existing Facilities Since 1919 ....... Immediate Projects to Be Financed ............... Elmination of Waste ............ cece cece eens TABLES Cie Wilter Statistics sipe-ne vd ace eae Sena eeu xs Quantity of Water Supplied, 1880-1921 .......... Typhoid Fever Death Rate, 1880-1921 .......... Bacteriological Tests, 1918-1921 ............0000. Comparison of Water Consumption in Philadelphia and D6trolt: o caawwvekwreae eee nada tlicanee rn doen FiGUres I. Il. III. IV. V. Map of Existing Facilities .................. Opp. Elevations of Water Plants . .................. Map of Proposed Sources of Water Supply ....... Comparison of Water Consumption, Detroit, Cleve- land and Philadelphia ..........0............ Estimated Increase in Population and Water Con- SUM PH ON: fe, ee ete carstnve the, asaviea ce Wi okuindwmaleioaeneas Historical Review of the Water Supply Problem of Philadelphia LENE Recs iee sec as co mised en mga oe la eg 8 a) BE, HRA BE 7 I. IMPORTANCE OF THE WATER SUPPLY There are probably few of us who stop to consider the vital importance of the municipal water supply to the very existence of the city. In the modern home it has become so easy to obtain the water that is necessary for our domestic use that we are prone to forget that back of the tap which furnishes us water of clear and sparkling quality under adequate pressure, there are facilities costing millions of dollars and an organization that must be working every minute of the day and every day in the year in order to supply that service which we have come to accept as a matter of course. We are perhaps the most aware of the importance of the water supply in our domestic life at the time when the usually ef- fective service is lacking. Interruption to the water supply serv- ice during only a short period of time may cause us vexatious in- convenience, may deprive us of the “morning plunge” or our cup of “Mocha,” and send us off to work disgruntled and discon- tented, and “so the day is utterly ruined.” Not only is the public water supply indispensable to our domestic life, but it constitutes an essential factor in every phase of the city’s existence. Our factories and mills are dependent upon it; our railroads would be at a standstill without it; not a steam- ship leaves our wharves without drawing upon it. With our water supply lacking, conflagrations would wipe out our build- ings, while the public health would be endangered from the dis- continuance of the water carriage system of sewerage. The cir- culation of water through the distribution mains is as essential to the city’s existence as is the circulation of blood to the life of man. Without it the city’s movement would cease and calamity would overtake us. These facts impose an important responsibility upon the municipal government. Means must be provided whereby the con- tinuous flow of water of acceptable quality can be insured. Ade- quate operating personnel must be provided to handle these facili- ties. Dilatoriness, procrastination or parsimony on the part of those responsible for providing these facilities and personnel should be subjected to the severest condemnation. 8 II. EXISTING WATER SUPPLY FACILITIES In general, the water supply facilities of Philadelphia are rather complicated as compared with those of the average large city. Water is drawn from the local rivers at four different points, while filtration is carried on in five distinct plants. This condition is due partially to the development of water supplies for the sev- eral separate districts prior to their consolidation into the present city in 1854, but more particularly to the topography of the city area. The number of separate water plants in existence to some extent overcomes the disadvantage of having “too many eggs in one basket,” but this advantage does not accrue to all parts of the system, some of which cannot be interlocked to afford greater security, while one part has been maintained independently al- though it could be cross-connected. SouRCES OF WATER SUPPLY Under existing operation slightly more than half of the total water supply is drawn from the Delaware River at Torresdale in the far northeastern section of the city, while the remainder is secured at three different points from the Schuylkill River. The Torresdale intake and settling basin are subject to the fluc- tuations of tide flow but the intakes on the Schuylkill are not so affected, since the Queen Lane and Belmont intakes draw from the Fairmount pool while the Shawmont pumping station is lo- cated farther upstream above the Flat Rock dam. In Figure I are shown the locations of these intakes to- gether with other information concerning the water supply fa- cilities which are discussed subsequently. PUMPING STATIONS AND PURIFICATION WorRKS There is a marked difference between the general layout of the water plant on the Delaware River and those on the Schuylkill. At the Torresdale plant the river water after slight opportunity for settlement is lifted by low lift pumps to the Torresdale filters, and thence after filtration and gravity flow through a long tunnel is pumped at Lardner’s Point, located at a low elevation, into the distribution mains in high and low pressure systems, the high pressure system alone being connected with an equalizing reser- voir. 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JeuLy yeuLy yeuly a1g bm were renee weve eee ween tee tere e ene ee puryy quowllag suey usen() | samoy soddy| eyepsetsol yur ysno1oqxoy yoye A jo nesing Ag SOILSILVLS WALT 1 ATaVL pastasy dodey uorssrmm0) 0261 Ul ¢ e981 Il discharged by high lift pumps into settling reservoirs located at high elevations to prepare the water for the sand filters, and the filtered water, with minor exceptions, is fed into the distribu- tion mains by gravity flow. These differences are readily ap- parent on Figure II, which gives the controlling elevations of the entire water system. Filtration of the several water supplies was decided upon in 1899 and construction work began the following year, but the entire city was not furnished with filtered water until 1911. Slow sand filtration was adopted for all plants as opposed to the rapid sand or mechanical filter, but some type of preliminary filter was installed at four out of the five plants. Recently efforts have been directed toward remodeling the preliminary filters to turn them into rapid sand or mechanical filters, to be operated in parallel or in series with the slow sand filters according to the conditions of the raw water. Disinfection of the filtered water first with chlor- ide of lime and subsequently with liquid chlorine was begun in 1913. General statistics in regard to the filter plants as furnished by the Bureau of Water are given in Table 1. With the improve- ments now nearing completion the plants will have a nominal combined capacity of about 400 million gallons daily and it would appear to be possible to increase this rating easily by 25 per cent in case of need. In the immediate future the combined works will surely not be called upon to supply even 400 million gallons a day, but the reserve capacity available is necessary to allow plant to plant adjustments in case of accident. Surplus capacity at the Queen Lane plant, for instance, is very important to safeguard the supply in case of accident to the Torresdale supply. It will also permit very flexible operation of the two component parts of the plant, the rapid sand and the slow sand filters, to suit the conditions of the raw water. The more general features of the several water plants are described in the following paragraphs. Torresdale Plant This is the only plant drawing water from the Delaware River. The present plant is situated on an area of over 200 acres, and is the largest plant of its kind in the world. 12 The greater part of the work of clarifying and purifying the water is now performed on the slow sand filters. The pre- liminary filters were installed as a result of experience with op- erating the slow sand filters alone in order to lighten the load on the slow sand filters. It is now suggested to remodel the pre- liminary filters to make them more effective. Upper and Lower Roxborough Plants These two plants have been operated as somewhat distinct units in the past although both received Schuylkill River water from the Shawmont pumping station. Under plans now nearly completed the plants will be practically consolidated into a slow sand filter plant drawing settled water from the large reservoir. Preliminary filters formerly employed at the Lower Roxborough plant will be disconnected. Water service is supplied by gravity with the exception of a standpipe service to the very highest area of the city nearby. Queen Lane Plant The Queen Lane plant now constitutes a very important link in the water supply service, although the Queen Lane filters were the last to be erected. The importance has been recognized of having reserve capacity at this rather central location to overcome any serious interruption to the service from the Tor- resdale plant, which is located at a greater distance from the centre of demand and dependent upon a high lift pumping sta- tion and long limes of supply mains. Accordingly, the prelimi- nary filters at Queen Lane have been remodeled into rapid sand filters which can be operated independently of the slow sand filters, if desired. The Queen Lane pumping station has been completely overhauled and the discharge mains strengthened which carry river water to the sedimentation basin. Belmont Plant At present this plant alone must be depended upon for the water supply of the entire area of the city west of the Schuylkill River. Preliminary filters are still operated prior to slow sand filtration but will be remodeled into rapid sand filters in the near future. Work is in progress to improve the sedimentation of the river water to include aeration of the water. The George’s Hiil 13 reservoir is available for storage of filtered water and a stand- pipe service is employed for a section of high elevation near the northwest city boundary. Beneficial changes are contem- plated in these latter arrangements. DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM In Figure I are shown the portions of the city area which are supplied with water from the different plants. The boundaries of these sections are hard and fast lines in some cases because of topographical conditions. This is particularly true of the sec- tions supplied from the Roxborough plants. In the case of West Philadelphia the entire supply must be drawn from the Belmont plant because of the absence of a physical connection across the Schuylkill River. The line of demarcation between the supplies from the Queen Lane and Torresdale plants is not a definitely fixed line, but is shifted from time to time. The same is true of the division be- tween the high and low pressure systems maintained from the Torresdale pumping station. Gradually a larger area is being! placed on the high service system, connected with the Oak Lane reservoir which has a storage capacity of 70 million gal- lons. Additional storage is also provided in the East Park reser- voir, but while its capacity is 688 million gallons—equal to more than two days’ usage for the entire city—its elevation is too low and it can be used economically only to provide a storage in case of accident. An auxiliary pumping station is maintained at Wentz Farm to supply water to the strip of territory in the northeast sec- tion including Fox Chase, Bustleton, Somerton, and the Philadel- phia Hospital for Mental Diseases at Byberry. Only the more important links in the 2000 odd miles of dis- tribution pipes are shown on Figure I. This system is being strengthened continuously, while express mains have been laid to carry an adequate supply to distant points. PRIVATE WATER SUPPLIES Water is supplied to three small areas shown on Figure I by private companies. The Springfield Water Company, which op- erates quite extensively in the suburban areas of Philadelphia, sup- 14 plies a small section in Oak Lane and provides water to the Over- brook Water Company to supplement the supply drawn from wells for the territory known as Overbrook Farms. The Holmes- burg Water Company operates entirely within the city in the northeast section. Its franchise covers a large territory, but mains have been extended only in the area shown in Figure I, There has been some discussion recently of the desirability of replacing the service from these private companies with city service. In the case of the Holmesburg Company the project has passed the discussion stage and a definite proposal has been pre- sented to Council by the Department of Public Works to purchase the facilities and rights of the company for a consideration of $850,000. The suggested price is based upon the report of three arbitrators made in the year 1919. This particular proposal re- quires very careful consideration as we have pointed out in two issues of our weekly bulletin, C1t1zens’ Business, Nos. 399 of January 15, 1920, and 511 of March 9, 1922. Obviously it will be to the best interests of the city to eliminate this private source of supply in the northeast, particularly in view of the anticipated rapid development of the section coincident with the operation of the Frankford elevated railway. Facilities will then be required greatly in excess of those provided by the company. It is im- portant to note that the additions to the company’s distribution system are passed upon by the Bureau of Water which will prob- ably insure their greater usefulness in a more extensive system necessary for this section. QUANTITY OF WATER SUPPLIED In Table 2, which follows, is given certain information in regard to the quantity of water supplied in terms of average daily consumption and per capita daily consumption. Accurate records based on measurements of pumpage are available only since IQI0. 15 TABLE 2 QUANTITY OF WATER SUPPLIED 1880-1921 Largely Based on Estimates Reliable Records Available Average Daily Average Daily Per- Consumption Consumption centage Total Per Capita Total Per Capita Services Year Mil. Gals. Gals. Year Mil. Gals. Gals. Metered 1880 58 68 1910 314 203 — 1885 69 72 1911 318 201 —_— 1890 142 131 1912 312 194 —_— 1895 216 162 1913 293 179 —_ 1900 287 222 1914 292 175 5 1903 327 238 1915 290 171 — 1904 328 233 1916 312 181 — 1905 327 227 1917 311 178 — 1906 320 218 1918 319 179 20 1907 302 202 1919 311 172 —_ 1908 322 210 1920 319 173 —_— 1909 306 197 1921 300 161 23 U. S. Census Population: 1880 ...... Sa vebuhuasceniolesa invand autadghiceeateae nua uecen a 847,170 1890" 2decax ness yomeborseiuetos susea wares 1,046,946 TOO) hs Maiketd sah d cianaeis. Sanebieereaics A 1,293,697 TOO) arcpiatacehee Sets Sierra tnceneceinn 1,549,008 1920 ciccsteran pawew er amarn ee tenes 2 ameeees 1,823,158 The maximum records for daily and weekly output of the water plants were twice broken in the year 1918, a maximum of three hundred and forty-eight million gallons per day having been reached. This output exerted a demand upon the facilities very substantially in excess of their safe capacities, although with the improvements now practically completed such an output can be handled wth much greater assurance. The probable demand upon the facilities in future years has been considered by the city and is discussed subsequently in chap- ter IV together with the effect that universal metering would have upon this future demand. QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES The raw water as drawn from the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers is seriously polluted and throws an unusually heavy load 16 upon the filtration plants. Notwithstanding this condition, it has been possible through the purification processes in use to provide a water supply that has met the requirements exceedingly well. This fact is well attested by the remarkable reduction of the typhoid fever death rate as shown by the following table. TABLE 3 TYPHOID FEVER DHATH RATE PER 100,000 POPU- LATION FOR PHILADELPHIA, 1880-1921. 1880 58 1900 35 1881 74 1901 34 1882 73 1902 44 1883 64 1903* 70 1884 71 1904 53 1885 64 1905 48 1886 64 1906 74 1887 63 1907? 61 1888 78 1908 35 1889 71 1909° 22 1890 64 1910 17 1891 64 1911 14.1 1892 40 1912* 12.6 1893 41 1913° 15.6 1894 33 1914 7.5 1895 40 1915 6.5 1896 34 1916 74 1897 33 1917 6.3 1898 46 1918 4.8 1899 75 1919 4.5 1920 3.4 1921 2.3 *First filtered water from Upper Roxborough plant. * First filtered water from Torresdale plant. * Filtered water supplied to nearly all sections, “Filtered water supplied to entire city. 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Ficure III Proposed Future Sources of Water Supply 26 the Delaware River above Trenton, when found necessary, are recommended as sources of raw-water supply to replace existing sources, This chart also shows the more distant sources on the watershed of the Delaware River previously suggested, which were given serious consideration in 1899 but which are not favored for use until nearer sources have been used to their full capacity. Prosposed Plan Conserves Existing Plant Contrary to the fear that a change in any of the fundamental points of the plan adopted in 1899 would result in the abandon- ment of much of the existing system with a consequent financial loss to the city, the most significant fact about the proposals of the board of consulting engineers is that they contemplate the continued use of the existing system with a minimum of scrap- page. Furthermore, the changes in the sources of supply can be made gradually with a relatively small annual expenditure within the city’s financial ability. Accordingly, the city authorities can proceed to the consideration of the plan proposed without any fear of casting aside a water system that is serving the city reasonably well, for a plan that will involve the city in excessive outlay at a time when demands upon the public purse are numer- ous and pressing. Immediate Program Recommended The board of consulting engineers of 1920 recommended the authorization of $35,000,000 during the suceeding six years or so, as sufficient to inaugurate work on the major portions of the water supply project and to permit essential betterments and ex- tensions to the existing works, including provision for the north- east section, The engineers favor the immediate construction of the first impounding reservoir on the Perkiomen Creek, initially to stabilize the flow of the Schuylkill River while water is drawn at local points, but later to serve as an impounding reservoir from which water would be brought to the present Schuylkill plants by aque- duct. The engineers emphasize the importance of using the Schuylkill plants to the fullest extent possible, a policy that had already been supported by the Bureau of Water. 27 SECURING NECESSARY WATER RIGHTS The board of consulting engineers of 1920 recommends an early adjustment of the rights and obligations between the city and the Schuylkill Navigation Company so as to insure the integ- rity of the water supply in Flat Rock pool from which the Shaw- mont pumping station draws water. It is said that the rights of the Schuylkill Navigation Company to the use of the Schuyl- kill River for navigation purposes are prior to the rights of the city to use water for certain municipal purposes. Although the city has the power to maintain the Fairmount pool, the mainten- ance of the Flat Rock pool appears to be entirely under the con- trol of the Navigation Company, thereby leaving the city without right to expedite repairs to the Flat Rock dam which might be urgently needed to terminate a water famine. The engineers point out that the adjustment of this problem of water rights should include the future aspect of the probable use by the city of water from the tributaries of the Schuylkill as a direct source of water supply. Although it was deemed inexpedient by the board of consult- ing engineers for the city to proceed with the purchase of real estate needed for storage reservoir developments in advance of borings, surveys, and other needed investigations, it was recom- mended that in order to safeguard the city’s interest, advantage should be taken of existing state laws by the filing of notice with the State Water Supply Commission of the intention of the city to develop storage reservoirs to serve all water supply re- quirements for the next fifty years. The city now has adequate legislative authority to proceed with such development in terri- tory outside of the city limits. IMPROVEMENT OF ExisTING FAaciLiTIEs SINCE 1919 The report of the board of consulting engineers deals very specifically with the correction of weak points in the existing water works that result in inadequate pressure in large and im- portant sections of the city and increase the ordinary fire hazard, thereby militating against the reduction of present high fire in- surance rates. Attention is directed to the necessity of correct- ing abnormally deferred maintenance which resulted from in- adequate appropriations during and since the world war, and 28 which had developed an extravagant situation costing more to correct with each month of deferment. Adequate yearly ap- propriations fer upkeep are urged as a continuous need which cannot be replaced by major expenditures for extensions and betterments. It is not necessary in the present report to enumerate the weaknesses in existing facilities which are set forth in the engineers’ report. It will be instructive, however, to know what progress has been made in overcoming weaknesses in the system since 1919 and what plans are under consideration at this time. Beginning with December 23, 1919, appropriations totaling $6,605,000 have been made by City Council for improvements and extensions to the water supply. To May 1, 1922, $5,900,000 has been expended or put under contract, leaving a balance of approximately $690,000 for the completion of projects under way. The largest undertaking is the improvement of the Queen Lane plants at a cost of approximately $2,500,000, which is now prac- tically completed. Nearly a half million dollars is being spent at Torresdale to strengthen and safeguard the Delaware River supply that fur- nishes over half the needs of the city. About $350,000 is being spent at the Lardner’s Point pumping station to strengthen the plant that pumps the entire output of the Torresdale filters. ‘Improvements to the Shawmont pumping station and the Rox- borough filter plants now under way will require some $400,000 and will result in greatly improved service. Extensive improve- ments are in course of completion at the Belmont pumping station which form a part of a larger plan to strengthen and consolidate the facilities which provide water for West Phila- delphia. About a half million dollars has been expended for large supply mains which serve as feeders to extensive territories. Such construction has been very beneficial in increasing water pressure to the advantage of residents and manufacturing es- tablishments, and in particular in adding to the fire protection facilities. About a million and a half dollars has been expended or put under contract for smaller mains to strengthen the dis- tribution system but more especially for the extension of service mains into new territory to meet the requirements of building construction. 29 A new repair shop has recently been completed at Twenty- ninth and Cambria Streets which affords the Water Bureau modern facilities for handling expeditiously repairs to equipment. A! contract has been awarded for the erection of a headquarters building at the same location. Storage sheds will be constructed and storage yards laid out. Completion of these projects will result in the centralization of the operating force at this convenient location. Economies will result in several directions from the provi- sion of adequate facilities for the operating force, but more particularly the morale of the organization will doubtless be much improved by a favorable environment and modern facilities which have never been completely afforded in the history of the water supply. The importance of this point is generally underestimated by municipal governments. The expenditure of $400,000 for the facilities located at Twenty-ninth and Cambria will doubtless prove a good investment for the City of Philadelphia. IMMEDIATE PROJECTS TO BE FINANCED The use of the existing funds, so far as they will go, will result in the placing of the water facilities in a condition of greater security against ordinary accident than has perhaps ever been attained in the 120 years of water works operation in Phila- delphia. Available funds will not, however, provide for the full completion of the Belmont project as now outlined. No provi- sion has yet been made for a connecting link in the distribution system across the Schuylkill River. Fairmount dam should be rebuilt to protect the Belmont and Queen Lane supplies. Outside of these matters the most important project is the establishment of water supply facilities for the northeast section for which $2,000,000 is needed immediately. The extension of service mains to keep ahead of building operations requires over a half million dollars a year while the laying of major links in the distribution system calls for about $200,000 a year. Altogether there is urgently needed at this time about $4,000,000, not to mention an initial appropriation for the Perkiomen reservoir. For the undertaking of this project the Bureau of Water requires $6,000,000. Money must also be provided for the purchase of the facilities of the private water companies within the city. 30 IV. ELIMINATION OF WASTE The subject of quantity of water supplied was discussed briefly in a preceding chapter. The present rate of water con- sumption is greater than is necessary to supply the norma} needs of the city. The reduction of this consumption will re- lieve the load now placed upon existing facilities and afford a margin of safety which is urgently desirable, and at the same time will reduce the rate at which additional facilities will have to be provided and new programs of development entered upon. Demand for Water in Philadelphia Unusually High Full recognition should be given to the fact that the de- mands upon the water service of Philadelphia are very dif- ferent from those in many other cities, particularly in cities of a less pronounced industrial character. Philadelphia has al- most 400,000 individual service connections to its supply mains, or approximately one to each five inhabitants. The number of service connections in Philadelphia is proportion- ately greater than in the majority of the larger cities, which in- creases relatively the demand for water. This condition 1s due primarily to the fact that the city is composed almost en- tirely of individual houses with a relatively small percentage of multiple dwellings (apartment houses, tenements, etc.). While the public water service must meet every legiti- mate demand for water supply, such quantity as is furnished in excess of this demand represents an economic waste. Ac- cordingly the quantity of water supplied should be reduced to the minimum that will meet the legitimate needs. How Water Is Wasted Water may be wasted in a great many ways. It may be used lavishly by the municipality itself. It may flow away through leaks in the distribution mains and service connec- tions. It may be used superabundantly in industrial estab- lishments. It may be employed carelessly in households or allowed to leak through defective plumbing. Sometimes the domestic connection is looked upon as constituting the entire source of water wastage, but this is not true, although it is usually the most important source. 31 Each of these factors contributing to water wastage must be overcome in a different manner. Municipal authorities should assume the responsibility for curtailing unnecessary and careless use of water from municipal connections, while a greater effort should be made in the future to eliminate leak- age in water mains and service connections. The installation of water meters has been very widely advocated to controt needless consumption and wastage by industrial, commercial, and domestic users. Extent of Metering in Philadelphia All industrial and commercial consumers are now me- tered in Philadelphia, while under the terms of an ordinance approved April 11, 1918, all new dwellings are being me- tered. There is no compulsion for the older dwellings, num- bering some 300,000, to install meters, but many are volun- tarily doing so, while the installation of meters has been re- quired under terms of an ordinance approved December 2, 1916, in some buildings where excessive waste was observed. Meters a Deterrent Upon Waste It is undoubtedly true that domestic consumption can be materially reduced by complete metering. Meters are a de- terrent upon needless use and inexcusable leakage, but meter- ing must be supplemented with other measures to detect wast- age, such as house-to-house inspection. Considering the proposition from all angles, a complete metering of all consumers is advisable in the interests both of the water service, represented by the taxpayer who sup- ports the government that operates the water system, and ot the water consumer who pays for the service received. By meter the consumer pays for water according to the quantity received, similarly to the manner in which he pays for other kinds of service rendered him, such as gas and electric cur- rent. Meters do not restrict the use of water for any legiti- mate needs or comforts but do discourage waste. The meter is not proposed to increase the revenue from the water supply but only to distribute more equitably the cost among the water users. é 32 Probable Reduction in Consumption Through Meters The actual reduction to be obtained in daily per capita consumption through universal metering is, of course, only problematical. Certain deductions, however, may be drawn from the experience of other cities to guide our estimates. The two cities of the United States larger than Philadelphia do not furnish information of value. New York City’s supply is not fully metered, and while the per capita daily consump- tion is some 40 or 50 gallons less than that of Philadelphia, the number of service connections to the distribution system is only approximately equal to the number in Philadelphia, although the population served is nearly three times that of Philadelphia. Chicago has a small percentage of services me- tered and a per capita consumption greatly exceeding that in Philadelphia. From the experiences of the two cities next in size to Philadelphia, Detroit and Cleveland, more valuable deduc- tions may be made. Both of these cities are on practically a full 100 per cent meter basis. The character of these cities is, moreover, markedly industrial, similar to Philadelphia. Lessons From Detroit's Experience In Table 5 which follows, we have placed side by side the facts in regard to the water service in the year 1920 in De- troit and Philadelphia. 33 TABLE 5 COMPARISON OF WATER CONSUMPTION IN PHIL- ADELPHIA AND DETROIT Philadelphia Detroit * (1) Population 1920 census ........... 1,823,158 993,739 (2) Total service connections (June, T9Q2ZOY a aici teres ee eek eho chee aes 388,000 164,779 (3) No. persons per service connection 5 6 (4) No. connections 2” and over supply- ing industrial and commercial USENS Dovaeceane poeta werwiwe oes 1,854 1,219 (5) No. persons per connection of (4).. 983 816 (6) No. miles of water mains (1920).... 1,911 1,483 (7) Percentage of all services metered.. 23 98-100 (8) Gals. per capita daily consumption all purposes within city ............. 173 131.34 (9) Gals. per capita daily consumption, industrial and commercial users; meters, 2” and over ............ 41.1 42.77 (10) Gals. per capita daily consumption municipal uses ........--....0008 13.7 (est.) 17.44 (11) Gals. per capita daily consumption all other purposes, domestic, leaks in service connections and mains, flushing mains, etc. [(8) minus (9) and, (O)]) soreeev sete stee doesn 118.2 (est.) 71.13 (12) Domestic metered and flat rate ac- COUNTS. xcin saddens eeseaiseaeeda sk —_— 50.71 (13) Miscellaneous accounts, stores and commercial not under (11) ...... — 6.63 (14) Service connection leaks ........... — 5.45 (15) Leaks in mains and flushing mains.. — 3.98 (16) Unaccounted for ocsc.egs ce esee ce _— 4.36 (17) Total (12), (13), (14), (15) and (16) 118.2 71.13 Information obtained from article by George H. Fenkell, Journal A. W. W. A., Vol. 8, p. 583 (1921). With respect to its population of a million people, Detroit has a greater proportional length of distribution mains than has Philadelphia. It has approximately one service connec- tion to every six inhabitants, while Philadelphia has one to every five. It has a ratio of large industrial and commercial users that is greater than that of Philadelphia. Yet the quantity of water supplied in 1920 was only 131 gallons per capita daily as against 173 gallons in Philadelphia. Deduct- 34 ing the consumption of large industrial and commercial users and the consumption for municipal purposes (which are ap- proximately the same amounts in Detroit and Philadelphia), there remains a per capita daily consumption for domestic use and certain miscellaneous accounts, leakage in mains and service connections, use for flushing mains and unaccounted consumption, of only 71.13 gallons per capita daily for Detroit with its practically complete metering, as against 118.2 gal- lons for Philadelphia. In this excess of over 40 gallons for Philadelphia lie the greatest possibilities of reducing water consumption in Philadelphia. Detroit has further analyzed its problem and by surveys of its system has determined that only 50 gallons per capita daily is used by the domestic consumers, nearly all of this con- sumption being metered, while some 14 gallons per capita daily is lost by leakage or cannot be accounted for. Surely there is a large amount of wastage in Philadelphia over and above the quantity necessary for legitimate domestic con- sumption, and Detroit’s experience would indicate that a prob- able reduction of 40 gallons per capita daily could be made in Philadelphia as the result of complete metering combined with other means of eliminating waste. In Figure IV is shown the curve of water consumption in Detroit as compared with Philadelphia and Cleveland. From 1915 to 1920 the percentage of meters installed on water service connections in Detroit was increased from 20 per cent to about 98 per cent and in 1919 a water waste survey was undertaken. From 1915 to 1920 the average per capita daily water consumption decreased about five gallons per year or over 25 gallons in all. The period during which the per- centage of meters has been high in Detroit is, of course, too short to enable any forecast to be made as to what the future water consumption will be under the completely metered system. Meters Reduce Consumption in Cleveland 1 From 1890 to 1901 the daily per capita consumption in Cleveland increased with some variation in tendency from *From article by A. V. Ruggles, Eng. News-Record, Vol. ; 886 (Nov. 4, 1920). g ws-Recor ol. 85, p 35 pe TS FT Te lSe z\es DETROIT 3 |g: ia eeaiees S lez Ts ' Ne oat, ASIN S01 So} Asal eonszenpiee x iO 2.5 ' 8 1% Services oe Metered Xx a ae “4 s1880 1900 11910 oe yest 8 2 4 < e CLEVELAND a. 75. [Services 4 Metered Yearly variatrons fot a@rarlakle eT \ 150" 60 | 7 _—_— ra =i es by citys engineers Hol 2 / Consumption 100 1910 i920 1989) a PHSLADELPHIA / — ZL} _ lod 25 consumption | NX | Saenger lo / Ne 7 g BS CONSUMPTION IN GALLONS PER CA 3 is 3 ‘so — a i650] Bo : Tm on Records re/iable / ~~ after 19/0 / > ® Services / ‘ Merered—~ a todd 25 x 7 Bo! £0!) 2 16s0 1900 IS10 Igz0 1930 YEARS Ficure IV Comparison of Daily Water Consumption Per Capita and Percentage of Services Metered in Detroit, Cleveland and Philadelphia 36 ror gallons to 172 gallons. At that time only a few meters were in use, but then rapid installation was commenced and by 1909 the city was practically entirely metered. During the period of eight years the per capita consumption decreased quite uniformly from 172 to 94 gallons daily, representing a reduction of 78 gallons. From 1909 to 1917 the consumption increased quite uniformly to 116 gallons per capita. In 1918 it was 137.5 gallons due largely to increased industrial de- mand from plants operating day and night to fill war orders. The 1919 and 1920 consumptions, however, were about 130 gallons, and the engineers attached to the city’s water organi- zation estimate that the per capita demand in 1940 may be in- creased to 150 gallons daily. These facts are shown in Fig- ure V. The forecast of increased per capita consumption in Cleve- land is predicated upon a higher domestic demand from new houses and a continued large industrial consumption. Indus- trial development probably accounts somewhat for the increas- ing per capita consumption from 1909 to 1917 after the service connections were practically all metered. It is a singular fact that the industries in Cleveland now use 60 per cent. of the total consumption, or about 78 gallons per capita while the metered usage in Philadelphia and Detroit on connections two inches in size and larger only slightly exceed 40 gallons. The remaining 40 per cent of the Cleveland consumption, or 52 gallons, is divided among domestic use, municipal use, and wastage, an amount much less than the figures in Table 4 show for Detroit. The experience of Cleveland with complete metering of service connections indicates that the predicted reduction of per capita consumption daily of at least 40 gallons in Philadel- phia through similar measures is not unreasonable. Fortun- ately the trend of per capita consumption in Philadelphia has been downward in the past twenty years. The installation of meters on all large connections and in new residences in re- cent years has undoubtedly had a beneficial effect, but this reduction would be greatly accelerated if a program to pro- vide for complete metering were to be initiated. 37 Reduction in Total Daily Consumption by Elimination of Waste The preceding analysis has been presented entirely in terms of consumption per capita per day because it afforded the best comparison with Detroit and Cleveland, or with otner cities. The actual reduction can perhaps be better visualized on the basis of the average daily pumpage. In 1920 the aver- age daily total consumption was 319 million gallons. If the per capita consumption had only equaled 130 gallons instead of 173 gallons, the total consumption would have been re- duced to 239 million gallons, with a saving of 80 million gallons. Effect of Reduction of Waste on Future Plans The necessity of reducing the demand for water by eliminating waste is very important in the consideration of the quantity of water to be supplied in the future, upon the basis of which additions to existing plants must be planned and new sources of supply developed. Figure V shows the estimate of the future growth of population used by the board of consulting engineers of 1920. If the per capita consump- tion continues at the present rate there will be a probable de- mand for 600 million gallons daily in 1970. If, however, the per capita daily consumption is reduced to 150 gallons, only about 530 million gallons daily will be required, while if the per capita consumption is reduced by 40 gallons to a figure of 130 gallons, as may reasonably be expected if measures are instituted to preserve the supply, the demand will probably not exceed 460 gallons, a reduction of nearly 25 per cent. For each gallon of reduction in per capita consumption, the esti- mated daily demand upon the water system in 1970 will be reduced about three and a half million gallons. Program of Action The board of consulting engineers of 1920 makes a strong plea for the elimination of water wastage. The engineers rec- ommend universal metering but at the same time suggest that the city should reduce to a minimum its own use of water with the maintenance of a continuous leak and waste investigation throughout the entire system. In this latter connection they suggest the segregation of distribution systems with the in- 38 troduction of devices for measuring the flow thereto. Such a segregation would greatly facilitate the ferreting out of sources of leakage in water mains and service connections. Obviously the introduction of meters on the 300,000 odd unmetered domestic connections would have to be spread out over a period of years, possibly ten years. Some plan would have to be devised to determine the sequence in which various sections of the city would install meters. In connection with the suggestion for segregating distribution districts, it might be advisable to require meters to be installed on one such dis- trict after another, thereby rendering assistance to the field forces that would be conducting leak and waste investiga- tions in such districts. 39 SF POPULATION CTY OF PYILADELPHIA Q $ S 8 28 3 g aS (750 10 YEARS AVERAGE CONSUMPTION IN MILLION GALS. DAILY seao 1200 1920 1950 1970 1999 YEARS Figure V Estimated Increase in Population and Water Consumption in Philadelphia 40 V. FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS The city has an investment of over $70,000,000 in the live assets of its water works without allowing for depreciation. The gross receipts yearly from activities connected with the water bureau average about $6,250,000, some six millions of which is received from the sale of water. This money accrues to the general fund of the city and appropriations are made to the Bureau of Water by City Council for the operation, maintenance, and improvement of the water works. Aimount of Indebtedness The city has an outstanding indebtedness charged to the water service of about $35,000,000. This indebtedness has a somewhat different significance from most of the other items of the city’s debt because it represents a self-sustaining invest- ment, the income from which is ordinarily sufficient to meet the interest on the debt, in addition to meeting the operating expense including depreciation. Accordingly the prospect of additional debt for water works is not alarming from the standpoint of the city tax rate, provided the income from the water service is sufficient to cover the added interest and sink- ing fund charges. To the extent that the net revenue will carry this debt, in- debtedness for water works purposes is not charged against the city’s borrowing capacity. At this time the Bureau of Water states that additional debt of several million dollars can be incurred without cutting into the borrowing capacity for other city purposes. Accordingly the sums required to finance urgently needed projects can be obtained without in- terfering with necessary expenditures from loan funds for other city improvements. The authorization of the rather ex- tensive sums to be needed for the development of impounded water supplies in all probability will cut into the city’s bor- rowing capacity, but this objection.should not be used to the detriment of water supply development. Charges for Water Service Charge for water service is made according to an ordi- nance approved December 2, 1916 as amended March 17, 1920, A minimum yearly charge for metered service is fixed for 4I each size of ferrule. A certain quantity of water is covered by this charge but any excess is charged for at the rate of 40 cents per 1000 cubic feet (equivalent to 5.3 cents per 1000 gallons). The half-inch ferrule which is ordinarily used for a dwelling carries a minimum yearly charge of $8 with an al- lowance of 8000 cubic feet of water (approximately 60,000 gallons) without extra charge. For unmetered service a specific charge is made for indi- vidual plumbing appliances while a minimum yearly rate 1s set for different size ferrules. For a half-inch ferrule this mini- mum charge is $5. The total of the charges for the individual appliances in the average dwelling usually exceeds the mini- mum charge, and in fact is usually. greater than the minimum meter charge for the same size ferrule. Within the scope of this report it is not possible to make an analysis of this system of charges. As a matter of general principle, however, we are of the opinion that the rev- enue from the water service should always be at least ade- quate to support the service, including provision for deprecia- tion, and give a reasonable rate of return on the investment. Further, the cost of the service should be equitably distributed over the various types of water users, in proportion to their use of water. For that reason all service connections should be metered similarly to the manner in which other utilities— gas and electric current—are metered. A Revolving Fund for Service Pipe Extensions A practice has been followed in the past xf making service pipe extensions largely from funds obtained from bond issues. The cost of such work is later charged against the abutting property and the money is returned to the city treasury to be reappropriated for any and all purposes, but chiefly for items of current expense. This money which is ostensibly borrowed for permanent improvements is used for current expenses. In- curring indebtedness to pay current expenses (other tham through temporary loans to be repaid out of the succeeding year’s taxes) is expressly prohibited by provisions of the char- ter act of June 25, 1919. The practice described above cer- tainly violates the spirit if not indeed the actual letter of the law. 42 This practice also, unfortunately, reduces the sums made available by bond issues for major items of improvement and extension. For instance, the $6,000,000 made available re- cently for water works improvement was reduced over a mil- lion dollars through allotments for the laying of service mains. In this manner the effectiveness of the loans made for major water improvements was reduced about 20 per cent. Adequate appropriations should be made annually from current revenues of the city to finance the laying of service mains, the cost of which will be returned to the treasury by assessment. The whole procedure might be simplified by the establishment of a revolving fund for this purpose, to the credit of which would be placed all receipts from assessments and against which would be charged the cost of construction. The establishment of this fund would not involve the creation of a separate fund in a cash sense, but only an accounting device to make the money available for use over and over again with- out reappropriation. There does not seem to be any legal ob- stacle to the procedure suggested. 43 VI. WILL INDIFFERENCE IMPEDE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT? Every twenty years or so the focusing of attention on the needs of the water supply service has resulted in the ap- pointment of a special commission to study the water problem. Some Philadelphians will remember that when a serious water famine was threatened in 1882, an expert body was cre- ated to consider the subject of the present and future water supply. Nothing came of its recommendations. In 1899 a second commission of engineers was appointed, and contrary to the precedents of the past, its recommendation for the con- struction of sand filtration plants was accepted almost imme- diately. In 1920 inadequacies and defects in the water supply again made it advisable to review the entire subject of the present and future water supply before making extensive im- provements for which funds were then partially available. A board of consulting engineers was accordingly appointed by the Mayor and made a comprehensive report upon the whole problem in September of that year, but no action has yet been taken upon it. It has apparently been pigeon-holed, and City Council seems to evince no interest in the solution of this vex- ing problem. Extensive improvements to the water supply fa- cilities initiated before the engineers’ report of 1920 was made, have in the meantime overcome some of the deficiencies enumerated in this report—a fact which may possibly have created an impression that the recommendations of the engi- neers were approved and carried out. Asa matter of fact, the funds available for strengthening the existing plant are now nearly exhausted, and certain defects remaining cannot be remedied without further appropriations, nor can any new projects, such as the extension of water supply for the north- east section, be undertaken. As to the fundamental recommendation of the 1920 re- port—that water for filtration be brought to the present plants from sources outside the city limits—the Council has neither approved nor rejected this suggestion; it has not in fact even discussed it. The city’s legislative body has always been loath to consider outside sources of water supply, although such projects have several times in the past been recom- 44 mended by competent engineers—notably by Rudolph Hering in his report in 1886. All such projects have gotten nowhere, yet the report of the 1899 commission, recommending adher- ence to local sources of supply, was quickly approved and acted upon by Councils. It would almost seem as though a local pride in the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers within the city limits were permitted to weigh against any suggestions for going farther afield for a source of supply. The Council should feel a responsibility towards the en- gineers’ report of 1920 analogous to that of the board of direc- tors of a private corporation. The management—the Bureau of Water—and the expert consultants—the Board of Consult- ing Engineers—have presented to the directors—the City Council—a program of development and extension calcu- lated to ensure an adequate and satisfactory supply of water for the next fifty years, yet the Council, in which, as the board of directors of the city’s water works, the decision must rest, has neither rejected the plan submitted as unwise, nor has it appropriated the funds necessary to carry out the first step in this plan—the building of an impounding reservoir on the Perkiomen watershed. The present situation is peculiar in that the construction of such a reservoir will serve not only as the first step in a comprehensive program looking toward the ultimate aban- donment of the two rivers within the city as sources of sup- ply, but will also meet the crisis that will occur when the pumpage from the Schuylkill exceeds the minimum flow of the river. An impounding reservoir is immediately needed to stabilize the flow of the river. Its construction will not com- mit the city to the other steps of the program recommended in 1920, and Council should not delay the appropriation of the necessary funds because of any hesitancy about accepting the entire program. One other recommendation of the engineers should re- ceive immediate attention from Council—the extension of the meter system “as rapidly as feasible.” The history of the Philadelphia water works shows a continuous struggle with the problem of waste, dating from the early eighties, and a realization that the only possible solution of this problem lies in metering the supply to the consumer. In spite of this long 45. struggle, Philadelphia is at present only 23 per cent metered, and the problem of waste curtailment is largely one of how rapidly the 300,000 remaining connections can be metered. This in- volves, of course, the financial aspect, and the question may be raised as to whether it is practical and proper to continue to put the cost of meters upon the houseowners, as is the present practice. The solution of this problem of metering is one of policy, involving the relations between the municipal govern- ment and the citizens, and as such calls for a decision by the city’s legislative body. It has usually been difficult in the ae for those charged with the responsibility of operating the Philadelphia water works to secure adequate appropriations even for the main- tenance of the plant, and plans for much needed extension and development prepared by the engineers of the Bureau of Wa- ter and boards of consultants have either been ignored by the City Councils, or have been acted upon only after long delay. Philadelphia has had a “water problem” almost continuously. for fifty years—and the city’s legislators have always been reluctant to face the problem squarely and solve it for years to come. We have appended to this report an historical re- view of the water problem in Philadelphia with the hope that it may serve to warn those responsible for the formulation ot municipal policy against the apathy toward this problem that has so unfortunately prevailed in the past. 46 APPENDIX HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE WATER SUPPLY PROBLEM OF PHILADELPHIA In 1797 councils were petitioned to secure a supply of pure water for the city. The following year Benjamin Henry Latrobe was employed to survey the possibilities, and in 1799 his plan for construction of water works at Chestnut Street wharf on the Schuylkill and at Center Square was adopted. In 1801 the first water was supplied from these works. By 1811 the defects in this plant made it necessary for the city to seek some other method of securing its water sup- ply, and in 1815 a steam pumping station at Fairmount was placed in operation. A few years later it was decided to build a water power plant at Fairmount and under an arrangement with the Schuylkill Navigation Company the first Fairmount dam was completed in 1821. During the next ten or fifteen years several acts were passed by the legislature looking to- ward the protection of the Schuylkill from pollution. In 1845 the districts of Spring Garden and Northern Lib- erties established a pumping station on the Schuylkill River, which was the predecessor of the Spring Garden pumping station that was abandoned with the advent of filtration. With the growth of population to the northeast a pumping station was built on the Delaware at Susquehanna Avenue in 1854, and in 1855 the Twenty-fourth Ward works, located on the present site of the Zoological Gardens, went into opera- tion. With the Act of Consolidation in 1854 the city acquired the water works built by the outlying districts and shortly thereafter suggestions were made for improving the quality of the water supplied. In 1858 H. M. P. Birkinbine, Chief Engi-- neer of the Water Department, drew attention to the Wissa- hickon, the Delaware and Lehigh rivers at Easton, and the Schuylkill above Reading as possible sources of supply. In 1864 the Water Department, under Chief Birkinbine, made a reconnaissance of all streams within a radius of forty miles, and a gravity supply to be obtained from an impounding res- ervoir on the Perkiomen was recommended. That was the first time this plan was put forth. It was urged again and 47 again in later years as the solution of Philadelphia’s water problem. In 1867 a special committee of the Fairmount Park Com- mission was appointed to consider the question of water sup- ply, and reported that the Schuylkill could be relied upon as a source of supply for many years. This committee recom- mended the construction of an intercepting sewer along the east bank of the Schuylkill. The Shawmont and Belmont pumping stations were put in operation during 1870. Two years later the Germantown Water works, originally owned by a private company and acquired by the city in 1866, were abandoned. In 1875 a com- mission of engineers was appointed to consider “the entire subject of the present and future water supply of Philadel- phia.” This commision made no definite recommendation as to the future supply, simply stating that the only practicable scheme for the future was the Perkiomen reservoir and con- duit. Their report, however, is interesting for its treatment of several phases of the water problem that stand out promi- nently in later study. A daily per capita consumption of eighty gallons is assumed by the commission as ample, and they call attention to the necessity for curtailment of waste, pointing out the reduction from 100 to 60 gallons per capita effected in Boston by the use of meters. This re- port also gives special consideration to the subject of river pollution, discusses filtration and dismisses it as being too costly and as failing to remove “poisonous organic matter in solution.” The engineers concluded that the remedy for pollu- tion must be preventive, and urged the construction of the Manayunk intercepting sewer as recommended by the Park Commission in 1867. A note of caution that may be detected in this report on the subject of pollution is indicative of the hampering influence of industrial interests upon the efforts to safeguard the city’s water supply, an influence which later greatly embarrassed Colonel Ludlow when Chief of the Water Bureau. The report emphasizes the importance of encourag- ing the industries of the Schuylkill valley “notwithstanding the fact that they may be the direct cause of material addi- tions to the impurities of the river.” BR 48. A further point of interest in this 1875 report is the rec- ommendation that the cutting of ice on the Fairmount pool be resumed as a means of remedying the disagreeable odor sometimes noticed during the winter months,—which shows that another of our difficulties was recognized so long ago as 1875. In 1878 the pumping station at Lardner’s Point, Frank- ford, was put in operation and replaced the Susquehanna Avenue plant, which was abandoned in 1890. By 1882 the existing machinery of the water works was taxed to capacity to maintain an adequate water supply and a serious water famine threatened. A board of experts was accordingly appointed which recommended certain needed improvements and enlargements to the existing plant, and a survey of all available sources of supply together with an investigation of the increasing, pollution of the Schuylkill and the means of controlling it. Following out this recommendation a corps of engineers was appointed under Colonel William Ludlow, who had assumed charge of the Water Department, and topograph- ical, chemical and sanitary surveys of the Schuylkill and Delaware water sheds were undertaken. In his annual report for 1883 Colonel Ludlow dwelt at considerable length upon the question of waste and the high per capita consumption, asserting that 40 per cent. of Phila- delphia’s pumpage was wasted, due to inadequate supervision of plumbing and lack of meters. In his next report Colonel Ludlow presented figures indicating an increase of per capita consumption far greater than the increase in population over the period from 1810 to 1880, and a decrease in the minimum daily flow of the Schuylkill, from which Colonel Ludlow con- cluded that unless waste of water was eliminated the Schuyl- kill would soon be inadequate as a source of supply. The antagonism of industrial interests to the efforts to prevent pollution are again referred to in the report for 1885, where Colonel Ludlow cites the efforts made in 1868 to revive the old legislative acts of 1824, 1828 and 1832, relative to pollu- tion of the Schuylkill. These efforts met with violent opposi- tion from manufacturing interests, whose ideas as to the reia- tive importance of industrial progress and a pure water sup- ply are well shown in a memorial to the legislature, stating 49 that “the industries of the Schuylkill Valley are as essential to the growth and prosperity of the city as a supply of pure water is to the health of its inhabitants.” Colonel Ludlow felt so strongly the danger from the increasing pollution of the Schuylkill that he delivered an address to the County Medical Society on the subject, as a result of which Councils on March 31, 1885, passed a resolution requesting him in ef- fect to stop talking about the matter lest the fair name of the city be injured. About this time the first “water snake,’ or scheme to turn over the water supply of the city to private interests, appeared in the form of a proposition from the South Moun- tain Water Company, to furnish the city with a gravity supply of pure water. Colonel Ludlow reported unfavorably on this plan, and nothing further came of it. In July, 1886, Rudolph Hering, engineer in charge of sur- veys for the future water supply, made his final report, a brief summary of which will be of interest inasmuch as the data contained in his report have formed the basis of all subsequent reports upon the question of future supply. Inasmuch as the practicability of filtration on a large- scale had not at that time been demonstrated, Mr. Hering eliminated any consideration of taking water from the Schuyl- kill or from the Delaware below Trenton. He therefore in- vestigated only the possibility of bringing to the city water from the running streams of the Schuylkill, Delaware or Lehigh water sheds. He based his calculations upon a daily. requirement of 200,000,000 gallons and made careful studies of rainfall, stream flow and run-off for the Perkiomen Creek, the Tohickon and Neshaminy Creeks, and the Delaware above Trenton. Admitting that water from the streams north of the Blue Mountains would be the best available in quality, he found that water of practically equal quality could be obtained from nearer localities and considered it inadvisable to go to the Blue Mountains for the present, but pointed out that an ulti- mate extension to this source should be kept in view in decid- ing upon a plan for the immediate future. As the survey showed that the upper Perkiomen could not be relied on for more than 89,000,000 gallons per day, and the Tohickon for 50 80,000,000 in years of minimum rainfall, the balance would have to come from the Delaware. Mr. Hering’s recommenda- tion, therefore, was that an aqueduct be constructed to Point Pleasant, water there to be pumped from the river by water power and delivered by gravity to the city at elevation 170 feet city datum. The water from the Tohickon would also be utilized by this scheme and could be delivered by gravity into the aqueduct. The cost of the project was estimated at $127,000,000. This was the final conclusion reached by Mr. Hering and his corps of engineers after two or three years of careful study. Nothing came of it. In 1888 the Manayunk intercepting sewer was completed, thus relieving the Fairmount pool of the pollution originating within the city. In 1890 General Wagner, Director of Public Works, urged the requirement of meters to reduce waste, and asked that the department be authorized to prepare plans for securing a permanent supply of water from outside sources other than by pumping from the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers within the city limits. The next year Mayor Stuart in his annual message took up the question of waste and also recommended the construction of an experimental filtration plant at Belmont or Frankford. A severe drought in the summer of 1892 aggravated the water problem and Councils authorized the Water Bureau to secure proposals for a filtra- tion plant at Belmont, but made no appropriation. The Director of Public Works sought authority to appoint a com- mission consisting of a hydraulic engineer, a business man and the Chief of the Bureau of Water, to go over the informa- tion at hand and recommend the best plan to pursue for a future water supply, but this request was refused by Councils. The situation continued to grow worse, and agitation for filtration increased, but the problem was not resolutely faced and no steps were taken to meet it. During times of drought the pumpage from the Schuylkill nearly, if not quite, equaled the flow of the river. In 1896 an appropriation requested for a small filtration plant was denied in spite of the evident need for experimental work in this line. Several propositions were received during this year from private corporations, who sought to “assist” the city in its water problem. Some of these proposals involved filtration, others a supply from a distant source. 51 In his report for 1897 the Director of Public Works stated that it would be impossible to maintain an adequate water supply unless Councils took steps to curb waste, and deplored the failure of Councils to make any appropriation for exten- sions or permanent improvements. The Chief of the Bureau of Water spoke of the water service as in a “critical condition, between starvation and enormously increasing waste.” He very severely condemned the proposals from several private corporations then pending in Councils, and stated that there was no need to deal with private corporations since, with the elimination of waste and the introduction of filtration, the problem could readily be solved with the existing plant. The following year (1898) the Director again complained of lack of money for improvements, and waste of water, and the Chief of the Bureau repeated his message for the previous year. The Chief also noted in this report the cutting off of the annual appropriation for the hydrographic survey, which for years had been compiling invaluable rainfall and stream- flow records. In 1899 the situation became so acute that Councils were forced to take action, and by resolution on April 20 authorized the Mayor to appoint a commission of engineers to study the situation and recommend a program of immediate improve- ment and extension. This commission, after careful study of the data obtained by Hering in the eighties, reported on Sep- tember 15, recommending adherence to the existing sources of supply from the Delaware and the Schuylkill and the con- struction of slow sand filtration plants. Councils acted promptly upon this report and a popular loan of $12,000,000 for the purpose of carrying into effect these recommenda- tions, was approved in November. Construction of the present filtration system was begun in 1900, and a new division of the Survey Bureau on improve- ment, extension and filtration of the water supply was organ- ized to take charge of this work. In August, 1902, a new Bureau of Filtration was created and given charge of the work. In 1903 the Chief of the Bureau of Water again com- plained of lack of appropriations. His report stated that adequate water service was maintained only by virtue of the 52 heavy rainfall of that year; and again in 1904 breakdowns of the pumps were attributed directly to insufficient appro- priations. In 1903 the first filtered water was supplied from the Upper Roxborough plant, and in the following year from the Belmont plant. In 1907 filtered water was first supplied from Torresdale, and in October of that year the Bureau of Filtration was merged with the Bureau of Water, which con- tinued the construction of the filtration plants to completion. Tn 1908, 53 per cent. of the city’s water supply was filtered, and on May 1, 1909, filtered water was supplied to all sections of the city. It became necessary, however, to resort to raw water for certain sections, and it was not until November Io, 1911, when the Queen Lane filters were put in operation, that a supply of filtered water was assured to the entire city. During these years the question of metering was from time to time agitated by the Bureau of Water. In i909 the Chief stated in his report that unless meters were provided in the immediate future to reduce excessive waste, new con- struction must be undertaken. In 1912 the Director of the Department of Public Works inaugurated a “water waste campaign,” devised a water conservation exhibit, and con- ducted an inspection for the detection of street leaks and leaky fixtures. In 1914 the Water Bureau reported unpleasant tastes and odors in the Schuylkill, and the same trouble is noted in the report for 1916, with the suggestion that it was probably due partly to organic matter and partly to trade wastes. The dangerous condition of the Fairmount dam, which had been damaged by flood in 1902, was also pointed out in this report. In 1917 the two main needs of the Bureau of Water were reported as (1) increase in facilities for supply, storage, etc., and (2) radical curtailment in the volume of waste. The question of disagreeable odors in the Schuylkill again ap- peared in the report for that year. In 1918 the records for daily and weekly output of the city’s water plant were twice broken, a maximum of 348,000,000 gallons per day having been reached. An ordinance of June 1, 1918, required the metering of all new connections, and a special committee of Councils was appointed to consider the question of universal 53 metering. An ordinance was introduced recommending a six-year program for complete metering, but was not enacted. As to future supply, the Bureau of Water recommended in its report for 1918 the abandonment of the Schuylkill at local points as a source, and the Mayor advocated the appoint- ment of a commission to consider the entire question, but no action was taken at that time. It was not until July 15, 1920, that a board of four con- sulting engineers was appointed, which board reported on September 15, 1920, making certain definite recommendations for the strengthening of the existing plant and for a program of future extension and development that would fit in with the present plant. No formal action has been taken on this report and no steps have been made in the direction recommended for future development. The existing plant has, however, been very materially strengthened and improved and with the completion of work now in progress the city’s water facilities will be in better condition than they have been for many years. BUREAU OF MUNICIPAL RESEARCH 805 FRANKLIN BANK BUILDING 1418 CHESTNUT STREET : 1417 SANSOM STREET PHILADELPHIA yy TRUSTEES Grorce BurNHAM, J, President Percy H. Ciarx, Treasurer" Dimner BEEBER Benjamin H. Luptow Cyrus H. K. Curtis Frank H. Moss Franxuin D’Oxrer Cuartes J. Roaps S. E. Farrcump, Jr. J. Henry Scattercoop Samuet S. Fets Cuartes Scort, Jr. Josrrx H. Haceporn Miss Fiorence SIBLey Crarence L. Harper Dr. MartHa Tracy StrickLtanp L. KNEass Watrter Woop Matcotm Ltoyp, Jr. Dr. George Woopwarp Freperick P. Gruenserc, Director Wriutam C. Beyer, Assistant Director Russet, Ramsey, Secretary