428 Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



American towns, and the improvement is considerable, but the con- 

 sumption seldom gets down to English figures. Where the consump- 

 tion is great the relative expense of a meter is not so high, and so 

 it is justifiable. It is surprising to read that it is intended to meter 

 300,000 service pipes at Philadelphia at a cost of about ^1,000,000 

 If to that sum is added the capitalized value of the maintenance, 

 etc., of these meters, the amount would appear to be sufficient to 

 introduce a new supply of greater quantity than is likely to be saved 

 by the consumers. Yet one can generally trust the Americans to 

 calculate the cost of work before undertaking it, and where the 

 consumption is over 200 gallons per head per day, the saving by 

 meters may be great. Still it is very questionable if the engineers 

 would have recommended it in the case of a town using under 50 

 gallons per head per day. It is interesting to note from statistics 

 the result of metering in the United States of America. Mr. J. de 

 Bruyn Kops, writing in the Engineering Record of July 9th, 1904, 

 draws the following deductions : — • 



" I St. When a city has a consumption of less than 70 gallons 

 per head per day, the chances are against its securing any reduction 

 from this by metering. 



2nd. Where the consumption is more than 70 gallons per head 

 per day there is a reasonable hope of reduction by introducing 

 meters. 



3rd. About 70 gallons per head per day is the normal 

 consumption in cities without abnormal waste. 



4th. The introduction of meters does not tend to reduce the 

 legitimate consumption, nor does it reduce the consumption to a point 

 incompatible with perfect sanitary surroundings." 



It is unfortunate that ^Ir. Kops does not touch on the financial 

 side of the question, and one must keep that in view when he sums 

 up by saying that meters are desirable for the following reasons : — 



" ist. They are economical in that they stop waste. 

 2nd. They do not reduce the consumption to a point where 

 unsanitary conditions arise. 



3rd. They are the only equitable way of .selling the water to 



consumers." 



Waste Water. 



Water supplying Corporations should feel it incumbent upon 

 them to deliver as much water as the people can profitably use, and 

 it should not be necessary to restrict the use so long as it is for 

 legitimate purposes. It is admitted that some consumers seem to 

 think that because water is only water, no check should be put on 

 the quantity they draw. The use should be encouraged, but waste 

 should be put down. Tr^te waste includes : — 



(a) Deliberate waste, such as allowing fittings to remain in a 

 state of disrepair ; running water all night to prevent the pipes being 

 burst bv frost, or so as to flush the drains. 



