Water-Rating. 423 



retail purchasers. The beneficiary here is the user, and in almost 

 all cases he is made to pay. He is as a rule charged according to 

 the quantity he uses, which may be recorded by meter, and payment 

 made at a fixed rate per unit quantity, or the amount may be limited 

 by a certain size of pipe, and a contract entered into, laying down 

 the charge per month. 



It is thus apparent that many consumers, such as tenants of 

 small houses, lodgers and occupants of hotels, or residential flats,, 

 do not pay directly for the water they use. The relative quantity 

 taken by these dififerent classes of users varies in different towns. 



I. Payment by Rate. 



The most common method of charging for water is on an assess- 

 ment basis ; either a percentage on the rental, or on the valuation of 

 the property. In Pretoria property is classed in grades rising by 

 ;,r25o steps to jQ2ooo, and thereafter by _;^2ooo steps. The annual 

 charge starts at ^2 for property under ^250, and increases by ^i 

 for every step. In most cases this rate is collected from the owners 

 — a practice which is a great saving to the Municipality. 



In many British towns the rate is stated in pence per ;^i of 

 rental, and it is generally collected from the occupier of the premises. 

 The rate is frequently divided into -public rate and domestic rate, 

 the former, or at least a portion of the former, being paid by the 

 owner, and the latter, except in the case of property of low value, 

 being paid by the tenant. This system shows an endeavour to make 

 the beneficiaries pay according to the benefits they derive. 



It should be noted that id. in the ^i public rate may bring in 

 much more than id. in the jQ\ domestic rate. Table III. gives 

 examples of rating in different towns. 



2. Payment by Opportunities of Using. 



Most Municipalities who charge by rate as above, have, in 

 addition, fixed charges for certain users beyond the necessities for 

 domestic purposes, e.g., baths, bake-houses, builder's yards, gardens, 

 greenhouses, horses and cattle, etc., etc. It is sometimes optional 

 whether the fixed charge will be made, or a meter put on. Such a 

 system is quite just, and where these extras can be looked upon as 

 luxuries, the rate for them should be high compared to the domestic 

 rate, which is to cover the expense of the water considered as a 

 necessity for health, e.g., garden water must be looked on as a 

 luxury compared with water used for household purposes. 



This system is made use of in some towns where a fixed annual 

 charge is made for the use of a pipe from the street main for the 

 supply of a house, and an additional charge is made if a hose- 

 pipe is used for garden watering. 



In South African towns, garden watering is an important item, 

 and the quantity used on it is frequently in excess of that used for 



