Conservation Commission. 25 



The work of the commission during the past year in the equi- 

 table apportioning of water supplies to the various municipalities 

 of the State, as required by law, is briefly indicated by the fol- 

 lowing table of water supply applications: 



Water Supply Applications. 



Application 



No. filed. Disposition. 



93. Village of Avoca Jan. 25, 1911 Approved Feb. 10, 1911 



94. Westbury Water District Feb. 21, 1911 Approved April 7, 1911 



9o. Weedsport Water Co Mar. 1, 1911 Approved Mar. 22, 1911 



96. City of Gloversville April 26, 1911 Approved June 16, 1911 



97. Village of Cornwall May 24, 1911 Approved June 6, 1911 



98. City of Cortland June 17, 1911 Approved July 11, 1911 



99. Castle Heigbts Water Co July 6, 1911 Approved Sept. 25, 1911 



100. Village of Mexico Aug. 12, 1911 Pending. 



101. N. Y. City, Borougb of Ricbmond... Sept. 12, 1911 Pending. 



102. N. Y. City, Borougb of Brooklyn... Sept. 12, 1911 Pending. 



103. Manhasset-Lakeville Water District. Oct 24, 1911 Approved Dec. 20, 1911 



Experience has shown that the laws governing State and munici- 

 pal water supplies could be amended to advantage, by giving this 

 commission power to exercise more thorough supervision and 

 control over proposed water supply systems. It is especially 

 important that the commission should be empowered to inter- 

 vene in the not infrequent cases in which existing water supply 

 systems, especially those of private companies, are found inade- 

 quate to meet the demands for water of the communities which 

 they serve. Control of rates charged for water should be exer- 

 cised by some State authority, as complaints of excessive and 

 inequitable charges have been numerous. 



Inspection of Dams. 

 Among the important duties intrusted to the Conservation 

 Commission is the protection of life and property from the dan- 

 gers arising from impounded waters. The appointment by this 

 commission of an expert engineer as Inspector of Docks and Dams 

 chanced to coincide closely with the disaster at Austin, Pa., an 

 object-lesson as to the danger attendant upon faulty construction 

 — a danger whose gravity has been by no means adequately ap- 

 preciated. Among the first duties assigned to him by the com- 

 mission was the inspection of the Austin dam, and his report as 

 to the causes of its collapse, which was the earliest explanation 

 thereof, has been widely accepted as authoritative, and has been 

 fully corroborated by subsequent testimony. 



