METER RATES FOR WATER WORKS 



CHAPTER I 

 REASONS FOR METERS 



The one efficient, economical and practical method for lessening the 

 waste of water in New York begins with a water meter on every service 

 pipe. John R. Freeman; Report on New York's Water Supply, 1900, 

 p. 71. 



There are two reasons for the use of water meters. The 

 first is that selling water by measurement is the only logical and 

 fair way of conducting the business. It is the only way that 

 does not result in gross inequalities and discriminations against 

 some of the takers, and in favor of others. The second reason 

 is that metering water is the only practical method yet found for 

 restricting excessive waste. 



The first reason is the one that in the long run is controlling. 

 It is unanswerable. In itself it is a sufficient reason for the 

 adoption of the meter system. 



As a practical matter under the conditions of the water works 

 business as they have developed in the United States in the last 

 thirty years, the need of stopping waste has been more important 

 and has more often led to the installation of meters. 



When a water-works system is first installed, all the plumbing 

 fixtures in houses are new and they are in general reasonably 

 tight; people will ordinarily draw only the amounts of water 

 that they need, and waste is comparatively small in amount. 

 As time goes on, rust, corrosion, the hardening of rubber valves, 

 and other changes result in leakage from plumbing fixtures. 

 Small leaks running constantly make little impression on people 



