PREPARING THE DATA 31 



Committee on Meter Rates, in 1916, were received, and which 

 will be referred to in more detail later. 



In carrying out this idea, in the following tabulation two 

 quantities have been selected within the normal range of quanti- 

 ties covered by each size of meter f inch and over, those quanti- 

 ties being selected so as to fall about at the quarters of the range 

 of each meter size and always being round figures to facilitate 

 plotting. In the. case of the f-inch size of meter more points 

 are taken, as the normal range in output for this size of meter 

 is larger. 



As an example of this method of plotting, Madison, Wis., is 

 taken. The Madison rates follow on p. 50. Computations leading 

 up to the plotting of the average rates is given in the table 

 on p. 32. 



This form of calculation will serve as a type, but meter rates 

 are so varied that no one standard form of table can be always 

 used. It is not difficult, however, to make the calculations and 

 to tabulate the results for any rate, and in many cases short- 

 cuts can be found that will shorten the procedure. 



If the slide in the rates is but little and comes about slowly 

 the points selected for calculation and plotting may be farther 

 apart; while, on the other hand, if there are sudden and con- 

 siderable changes, additional points in the neighborhood of those 

 changes will be needed. 



The Madison rate only goes as far as the 4-inch meter, and as 

 a 4-inch meter is not large enough to handle the largest quanti- 

 ties of water shown on the meter rate sheet, the line cannot be 

 extended to the end. However, it is apparent that the service 

 charges for larger meters will be relatively small, and as the 

 quantities increase the average rate would approximate more and 

 more closely the 5 cents per 100 cubic feet, which is the lowest rate 

 for large quantities in Madison, or 6.67 cents per 1000 gallons, and 

 the line is drawn arbitrarily to this point at the edge of the sheet 

 from the last point that is plotted. Madison being mainly a resi- 

 dential town, it may be that there are no services requiring 

 meters larger than 4 inches, and as far as Madison is concerned 

 the sheet seems to extend further than the business requires. 



