24 



FORMS OF METER RATES NOW IN USE 



It appears that the average amount of slide in the scale for which 

 data were collected by Mr. Biggs, representing works all over the United 

 States, is somewhat greater than in the fifty scales examined by your 

 Committee. For annual quantities from 30 to 300,000 gallons the average 

 from 146 cities all over the country is distinctly higher than the average 

 for the fifty works mainly in New England. On the other hand, with 

 annual quantities above 1,000,000 gallons the order is reversed, and the 

 average rates deduced from the 146 cities are lower. 



On the whole the two series of results show surprisingly little diver- 

 gence. On an average, the slide begins to take place at about the same 

 point, and except for small differences above mentioned the amount of 

 slide is nearly the same in both cases. 



It is possible to find rates to be inserted in the schedule which the 

 Committee now proposes which will produce charges for the different 

 amounts of water drawn corresponding approximately with those indi- 

 cated by the two sets of data. Upon trial it is found that a service charge 

 of $3 per annum (plus 10 per cent of the cost of the service pipe and meter 

 to the works), a domestic rate of 21 cents per 1000 gallons, an interme- 

 diate rate of 16 cents, and a manufacturing rate of n cents, produce 

 amounts which fall between the two sets of data above mentioned for 

 nearly all quantities, and correspond well with both of them. 



These rates may thus be taken as representing in a general way, and 

 with a fair degree of accuracy, the present average American practice in 

 meter rates. 



Three sets of rates are shown in the following table: 



A word of caution may well be added at this point. There 

 is often a temptation to conclude that a particular set of rates is 



