164 SHOULD SCALE SLIDE OR NOT 



considered as to whether enforcing such rates would have the 

 result that one or more large consumers would get other supplies 

 and cease to take water from the plant. 



It may often happen that the best thing for an overloaded 

 plant is to have one or more such customers secure other supplies. 

 The question of all the effects of such loss deserves careful con- 

 sideration in each case. 



If there is likelihood of the loss of business, and if the loss 

 of business is undesirable, then the question of what rates must 

 be made to retain the business is to be considered. The first 

 matter to be determined will be the probable cost to such large 

 takers of making other adequate arrangements for maintaining 

 their service. There may be some advantages to them in having 

 their service from the plant, and it may be presumed that they 

 will pay a somewhat greater annual bill than the estimated annual 

 cost of securing an independent supply. The rate that can be 

 actually secured may be a matter of negotiation in the end. 

 There are many local factors that will have to be taken into 

 account. 



If it is decided that a lower rate is warranted to meet exist- 

 ing conditions, it is not necessary to lower the manufacturing 

 rate in the three-scale rate to a level that will hold the business. 

 A better procedure is to make a special rate, applying only to 

 quantities in excess of 82,000 gallons per day, 30,000,000 gallons 

 per annum, or i ,000,000 cubic feet per quarter, and to make this 

 rate as low as may be necessary to hold the business that it is 

 considered necessary and desirable to hold. 



The new rates of the Hackensack Water Company, found on 

 page 44, show the use of the special rate for this purpose. 



