USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1892 > Part 13
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REPORT
OF THE
SOMERVILLE MYSTIC WATER BOARD.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, February 1, 1893.
Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports. Sent down for concurrence.
GEORGE I. VINCENT, Clerk.
IN COMMON COUNCIL, February 1, 1893.
Referred to the committee on printing, to be printed in the annual reports, in concurrence.
CHARLES S. ROBERTSON, Clerk.
CITY OF SOMERVILLE.
OFFICE OF THE WATER BOARD, January 26, 1893.
To His Honor the Mayor and the City Council : -
The Somerville Mystic Water Board submits the following as its nineteenth annual report, being for the year ending December 31, 1892.
COST OF WATER WORKS.
The total cost of works on December 31, 1891 was . $537,185 35 Expended during the past year for water-works extension 34,863 17
Total cost December 31, 1892 $572,048 52
It may be doubted if the above figures represent with absolute accuracy the entire cost of the water works, as it is often a nice question of book-keeping to rightly apportion a particular expenditure between extension and maintenance accounts. The difficulty arises chiefly in those cases where it becomes necessary to remove an old water main from a street and substitute therefor a pipe of greater capacity. Such substitutions are frequently made, and it is only possible to determine approximately the percentage of cost properly chargeable to extension account. It has been the invariable rule during the past year to charge to extension account the cost of all
230
ANNUAL REPORTS.
materials used in relaying a street, and to charge the cost of labor to maintenance account. Somerville has expended upon her water works much less, relatively, than many Massachusetts cities, but it should be remembered that she is not the owner of her water supply, storage reservoir, principal pumping station, or main water conduits ..
WATER DEBT. !
The total outstanding indebtedness of the city, on account of the water works, on the 31st day of December, 1891, was $375,500.00.
We are glad to be able to report that no addition to the debt has been made during the past year. On the contrary, the income from, the water works, together with a balance of $5,150.80 remaining from 1891, has been sufficient to meet the entire expenditures of the water department, both for maintenance and extension, to pay all the. interest accruing during the past year on the funded water debt, and to leave a balance of $7,061.71 to be applied the present year towards the payment of the principal of the debt.
The above mentioned indebtedness is represented by water loan bonds, nearly all of which are of the denomination of $1,000.00, matur- ing at intervals from July 1, 1893, to October 1, 1920. The rates of interest on the bonds are as follows :-
$10,000.00 draws interest at 512 per cent. per annum. 105,500.00 66 "' 5
260,000.00 66 " 4 66 66 66 66
That part of the loan drawing more than four per cent. interest: was negotiated several years ago, when rates of interest were much higher than at present.
In the present state of the city's finances, we feel that only the most urgent necessity would justify an increase of the water debt. It seems probable that Somerville will be compelled, in the near future, to meet extraordinary expenditures on account of her water supply. Meanwhile, it is the manifest duty of the Water Board to practice a reasonable economy in expenditures, thereby gradually reducing the water debt and increasing the borrowing capacity of the: city when the time for unusual outlays arrives.
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REPORT OF THE WATER BOARD.
RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS.
The following tables exhibit the receipts and payments for main- tenance and extension of the water works during the year 1892 :-
MAINTENANCE.
Received, unexpended balance from appropriation for 1891
$599 58 Received, amount appropriated by City Council for 1892 .
20,000 00
Received, transfers from extension account 9,000 00
done collections from sundry persons for work
1,414 08
Received, profit on water services .
760 14
Paid for maintenance of water works, $29,275 79
" " work done for sundry persons, 1,414 08
Balance unexpended at end of year 1,083 93
$31,773 80 $31,773 80
EXTENSION.
Received, unexpended balance from appropriation for 1891
$4,423 41 Received, amount appropriated by City Council for 1892 40,000 00
Received, collections from sundry persons for work done
2,261 47
Paid for extension of water works : $34,863 17
" work done for sundry persons, 2,261 47
Transferred to maintenance account 9,000 00
Balance unexpended at end of year 560 24
$46,684 88
$46,684 88
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
TABLE SHOWING INCOME FROM WATER RATES AND APPLICATION
OF SAME.
Received from City of Boston fifty per cent. of Somerville water rates .
$77,640 91
Balance.remaining from 1891
·
.
5,150 80
Annual appropriation for water-works maintenance
$20,000 00
Annual appropriation for water-works extension
40,000 00
Amount of water loan interest 15,730 00
Balance for reduction of water debt in 1893
7,061 71
$82,791 71
$82,791 71
EXTENSION OF WORKS.
The past year has been one of great activity in real estate: development, many new streets having been laid out and built upon. We have, therefore, been obliged to extend the water mains in many sections of the city for the accommodation of the newly improved property. In this work we have laid 8,891 feet of cast-iron pipe, of sizes ranging from three-quarters of an inch to sixteen inches in diameter. There are now about sixty-six miles of water mains in Somerville.
The development of our vacant lands has now progressed so far it seems probable that the demands for extension of water mains will hereafter decrease gradually from year to year. That such a decrease has already commenced is shown by the fact that the length of mains extended in 1892 was 5,489 feet less than in 1891. It is cer- lainly to be hoped that this year's Water Board will be able to expend tess money for piping new streets, as a largely increased appropria- tion is needed for removing the old cement-lined pipe, which is caus- ing so much trouble in all parts of the city.
Twenty thousand and one feet (nearly four miles) of service pipes were laid during 1892, a large increase over the preceding year. Two hundred and forty-six feet of this pipe were laid for fire pur- poses, and were from two to four inches in diameter. Fire services,
233
REPORT OF THE WATER BOARD.
were also laid for John P. Squire & Co., in length, eighty-four feet of six and ten inch pipe; and for the New England Dressed Meat & Wool Co., 878 feet of two to ten inch pipe. The amount received for water services was $10,177.55, the average cost of house services having been $18.72. The entire cost of all service pipes is collected from the persons applying for the same.
RELAYING WATER MAINS.
During the year 1892 there were laid 23,509 feet (nearly five miles) of cast-iron pipe in place of cement-lined pipe removed. This was considerably more than double the length of pipe relaid in 1891. Included in the above mentioned work was the large and expensive job of taking up the cement pipe in portions of Somerville and Web- ster avenues, and putting down in its place twelve-inch cast-iron pipe. This enterprise was undertaken at the earnest request of the highway ·committee, who were desirous that the said avenues should be re- piped before the granite paving blocks were laid. It having been decided by the City Council that an expenditure of nearly $100,000 should be made for paving the two avenues, we felt that the request of the committee was reasonable and proper. The committee desired that all the underground works and fixtures should be put into such a thoroughly sound condition as to render it unnecessary to disturb the pavement for many years. We found the old pipe in a much better state of preservation than had been expected, and it would probably have done good service for several years. The job was an expensive one for the water department, costing, as it did, nearly $15,000. Our appropriation was so far reduced by this expenditure that we were obliged to postpone relaying many other streets which were in a far worse condition than the avenues in question.
It is of prime importance that the work of taking up the defective and dangerous cement pipe, and replacing it with cast-iron mains, should be continued from year to year as rapidly as the appropriations therefor will permit. Considerable expense and great annoyance result from the frequent bursting of the old pipes, which have mani- festly outlived their usefulness.
We estimate that it will be necessary to relay not less than 40,000 feet of water mains during the present year, and we believe that at least $70,000 should be appropriated by the City Council for main-
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
tenance and extension accounts. The income from water rates dur- ing 1893 will, doubtless, be sufficient to admit of such an appropria- tion and leave a balance in excess of the requirements for water loan interest.
There were eighty-six breaks in the old cement-lined pipe during the past year, an increase of fifty-one over the year 1891. The breaks were in pipes of the following-named sizes :-
In 3-inch mains
3 breaks.
" 4-inch
" 6-inch 66
" 8-inch
. 31
47 5
From information which we have received from the cities of Bos- ton and Cambridge, it appears that our water pipes are subject to a new danger, resulting from the action of the electric current conveyed by street railway and electric light wires. Specimens of iron and lead pipe may be seen at the City Hall in Cambridge, which exhibit strong proofs of the action of some destructive agent, and we are in- formed that the damaged pipe had been laid only a short time. The subject is being carefully investigated by experts, and should it be proved that our water mains and services are imperilled by the presence of underground electric currents, prompt measures will be- adopted to remedy the evil and to obtain compensation for damage already done. Down to the present time, we have not discovered any injury to water pipes in Somerville which may be fairly attributed to electrical action.
HYDRANTS.
There are now in the city 535 hydrants, eighty-two new ones. . having been set during the past year, at a cost of about $4,100.00. From this amount should be deducted about $380.00, the approximate value of twenty old hydrants which have been removed. There has. been a considerable expenditure for general repairs upon hydrants.
We should recommend that the cost of hydrants, together with the expense of setting and repairing the same, be hereafter charged to the appropriation for fire department. Hydrants are for the ex- clusive use of the fire department, and are a part of the apparatus. and fixtures employed solely for the extinguishment of fires. The
235
REPORT OF THE WATER BOARD.
fire department very properly pays the water rates assessed for hydrants, and there seems to be no good reason why the hydrants themselves should not come under the same rule. It is proper that our citizens should know just how much it costs from year to year to guard against and extinguish fires, and this cannot be clearly shown so long as the cost of hydrants and their maintenance is charged to the water department.
We would also suggest the propriety of transferring to the com- mittee on fire department of the City Council the duty of purchasing hydrants and the supervision of their setting and maintenance. Under the present system, the committee on fire department has no authority to determine either the style, number, or location of hydrants, but is dependent upon the decision of the Water Board for the carrying out of its recommendations in the matter. Such a prac- tice is analogous to intrusting to the committee on public property the whole duty of purchasing general fire apparatus, a method which no one would think of sanctioning.
The objections to a divided responsibility for, and jurisdiction over, hydrants were emphasized the past year in the case of the Sprague & Hathaway fire in West Somerville. At that fire it was found that at least one of the fire companies was not provided with a proper wrench for opening one of the principal hydrants near Davis square, and, in consequence, there was a slight delay in getting a stream of water on the fire. Notwithstanding the hydrant in question was of an approved pattern and easy to operate, still it was suggested that it was of doubtful expediency to have more than one style of ~ hydrant in use ; and the committee on fire department, in its late special report to the City Council, relative to said fire, expressed the opinion that they, the said committee, "should have more voice in the matter of style and location of hydrants." We believe they should have sole voice in the matter; in fact, that they should be intrusted with the selection and purchase of hydrants, should super- vise setting and repairing the same, and all expenses connected there- with should be paid from their appropriation.
The subject seems a proper one to receive the- attention of the committee on ordinances, as the whole question is now in an unsettled and unsatisfactory condition.
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
WATER FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES.
During the past year we have been called upon to provide a supply of water for the New England Dressed Meat & Wool Com- pany. This corporation, which has lately commenced operations in our city, is likely to make use of large quantities of water each year, paying therefor an amount which will add materially to the revenue of the water department. We base this prediction upon the fact that similar establishments in the same neighborhood have long been our largest consumers of water. During the year 1892 the North Pack- ing & Provision Company and John P. Squire & Company together paid water rates to the amount of $16,433.40, one-half of which amount was received by Somerville under the existing water contract with the city of Boston. This was a little more than one-tenth of the entire revenue from water rates.
There may be some question, however, whether future water boards will consider it prudent to take on many more large con- sumers until assured of an increase of the water supply. As men- tioned elsewhere in this report, Mystic lake has been heavily drawn upon for several years, and during the last summer and autumn the water fell so low as to excite grave apprehensions in the minds of those conversant with all the circumstances. It became necessary to resort to the closest inspection to prevent waste and to enforce rigid restrictions as to the use of water upon lawns and in carriages houses. As the water supply is intended primarily for domestic and fire pura poses, it would seem that families ought not to be unreasonably restricted in the consumption of water, while large manufacturing and business establishments are allowed to make use of unlimited quan- tities.
It should also be remembered that the water in the lake becomes. more impure as its volume is reduced ; or, in other words, that the impurities become more concentrated and offensive as the dilution is- diminished.
It would certainly be a great hardship upon our citizens to reduce the quantity and impair the quality of their water supply in order to make large sales of water to manufacturing and business industries.
237
REPORT OF THE WATER BOARD.
HIGH-WATER SERVICE.
The high-water service continues to give complete satisfaction, and it now seems surprising that its introduction should have been so long delayed. After two years' observation of the workings of the system, we are able to testify in unqualified terms to the great benefits derived therefrom. The standpipe, boiler, and pump have admirably stood the test of another year's trial, and are now doing excellent work. The appearance of the pump has been greatly im- proved of late by painting. The inner surface of the standpipe has also been cleaned and painted, at a cost of $127.38.
No steps have yet been taken toward the purchase of a second boiler or land for an additional standpipe, as suggested in last year's report. Neither of these purchases could be made without an increased appropriation, and we did not feel like asking for that during the past year,-a year in which the funded debt of the city was increased more than $150,000. It will be wise to act in the matter at the earliest practicable opportunity.
During the present year it will be necessary to enlarge the sheds at the pumping station ; and scales should be erected at the City Farm for weighing coal, water pipe, and other articles used by the water and highway departments. The only scales now owned by the city are located near Union square, and we have found it neither convenient nor economical to weigh out supplies in that part of the city.
WATER SUPPLY.
In our report for the year 1891, we expressed the opinion that it would be unwise for Somerville to enter into negotiations for the pur- chase of the Mystic water supply, and stated briefly some of the grounds on which the opinion was based. After another year's observation and investigation, with all due respect for the different views entertained by previous water boards, we are still more firmly convinced that the proposed purchase ought not to be made. The State Board of Health continues to express distrust as to the quality
238
ANNUAL REPORTS.
of the water for domestic uses, and the Boston Water Board itself, in a late special report to the Boston City Council, says :-
"Regarding the Mystic water supplied to the people of Charles- town, this board has already expressed the opinion in its annual reports that it is not satisfactory as a permanent source of supply. Charlestown, however, has been piped for the introduction of Cochitu- ate and Sudbury water, which could be turned on at an hour's notice in case of an unfavorable change in the state of the Mystic supply." .
With such views concerning the future of the Mystic water,. it is not surprising that Boston should be desirous of selling its franchise to Somerville. It would, however, be strange if Somerville, in the light of all the facts, should be willing to abrogate her present water contract with Boston, and place her sole dependence for the future upon a water supply which has lost the confidence of those best informed as to its condition and prospects.
There has been no marked change in the quality of the Mystic water during the past year. Analyses, made under the direction of the State Board of Health, show only a slight increase of impurities over the year 1891, and it is believed that this trifling change was not due to any real deterioration of the water, but rather to the fact that the objectionable elements became more concentrated by reason of the diminished quantity of water in the lake. For several months, owing to increased consumption and scanty rain-fall, the water in the lake was unusually low. As Charlestown will soon be transferred from the Mystic to the Cochituate and Sudbury supply, the consump- tion of Mystic water is not likely to increase for several years.
It has long been known that the Mystic water was not of a high standard of purity. Boston has expended large sums of money for constructing sewers, establishing filtering plants, and for other enter- prises calculated to improve the character of the water. These efforts have been of great value, and without them the Mystic supply would long since have been abandoned for domestic uses. A plan is now under consideration by the city of Boston and the town of Win- chester for laying out a park along the course of the Abbajona river. If the measure is carried out, Mystic lake will be relieved from some of the most offensive matter now flowing into it. It would seem as if far better and more permanent results might be obtained by Boston
239
REPORT OF THE WATER BOARD.
and her suburbs by a large outlay for a new metropolitan water sup- ply coming from a locality remote from centres of population than can be expected from the heavy expenditures made for improvements of present supplies. At least, it might be wise for Boston to unite with adjacent cities and towns in asking the legislature to appoint a commission to thoroughly investigate the subject, and report thereon at an early date. We learn that a bill has been submitted at the present session of the legislature, providing for the appointment by the governor of three persons, one of whom shall be a hydraulic engineer, to consider the whole question of water supply throughout the Commonwealth. By the provisions of the bill very broad scope is given to the investigations of the commissioners, including the ques- tion of connecting the water supplies of various cities and towns so that they may be used interchangeably in case of necessity. As the lakes and rivers within the State are, in a general way, the common property of all the people, it would seem feasible and just that some broad plan should be adopted by which no one municipality should obtain undue advantage over its neighbors in securing water rights. We would suggest that authority be given to the city solicitor and the Water Board to represent the interests of Somerville at all hearings which may be given at the State House upon the proposed bill, or other legislation touching the water question.
We cannot resist the conviction that Boston and neighboring municipalities are not giving the searching and intelligent considera- tion to the water question which its importance demands. It is true that immense sums of money have been expended to procure and improve public water supplies, but the results indicate that much of the work has been hastily and injudiciously performed, and, in par- ticular, that insufficient attention has been given to procuring drink- ing water of unquestioned purity and wholesomeness. Water is an article of daily consumption by all the people, and its quality, when used as a beverage, should be absolutely above suspicion. Not only the health, but the morals of a community are, in a measure, depend- ent upon the character of its drinking water. If Nature's beverage was supplied to the public in a pure and palatable condition, the resort to intoxicating and narcotic drinks would be greatly diminished.
No well-informed person believes that the present water supply of Boston, either as to quantity or quality, will meet the requirements of the near future. The watersheds of both the Cochituate and Sud-
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ANNUAL REPORTS.
bury systems embrace populous towns, whose natural drainage is into the lake and stream from which Boston takes her drinking water. Only a complete and enormously expensive system of sewerage can divert the impurities which now find their way into the water. Should an adequate sewer system be constructed, either the surface water, including street washings, must be allowed to flow in its natural channels, or it must be conducted into the sewers, thereby greatly diminishing the quantity of the water supply. The money which will be required to divert impurities from the Cochituate and Sudbury river waters would go a long way towards securing a supply naturally pure and remote from sources of contamination.
It has often been suggested that Boston might join with other Massachusetts cities and towns in an endeavor to secure a water supply from the "Lake Country " of New Hampshire. Such a plan is certainly worthy of the most careful study and investigation. It is true that great obstacles would need to be overcome and great expense would be incurred in carrying out such a project, but other municipalities have successfully engaged in undertakings of like magnitude. "Modern Athens" may turn to Ancient Rome for examples of wisdom and liberality in furnishing sweet and potable water for the people. In the first century of our era the Emperor Claudius constructed two magnificent aqueducts, one forty-five miles and the other sixty-two miles in length, to convey water to Rome. In modern times many gigantic undertakings have been carried out for the purpose of obtaining an abundance of pure water. Glasgow brings her water from Loch Katrine in an aqueduct thirty-five miles long, in the building of which the most stupendous obstacles were surmounted. Vienna's principal aqueduct is fifty-six and one-half miles in length, while Paris conveys her water through a conduit for a distance of 110 miles. Croton water was introduced into New York in 1842, when the population numbered about 450,000. The Croton aqueduct, which conducts water from Croton lake, or reser- voir, to the American metropolis, is nearly forty miles in length.
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