upr000142 146

La-- Vegas ITebru&r 28, 1945 J © If 2 3 - 1 - B / Jar. E. £• Bennettst T Referring to your letter to Kr* MeNaaee February 21 with regard to amending the Nevada law to per salt use of meters In cities* of over 4520 population where the prin­cipal supply is obtained fro® underground sources. fpturday afternoon wo held a conference with Carl Hyde, Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, In the absence of President Pax Kelch (who Incidentally has been re-elected to serve another year ass President), w® recalled our netting with the Chamber of Commerce last fall at which time the State hnglnaer advocated repeal f the existing meter law In order to conserve the underground supply for this community. We also described the numerous complaints received from citizens of the community with re­gard to their neighbors penaltting water to overflow Into the street, undermining the street pavement and necessita­ting costly repairs and creating unsanitary conditions. Mr. Hyde stated that he had had some -experiences with regard to artesian wdlis in California, particularly at hif? own ranch home where they had the flowing Artesian well and the Hydro-static Head was constantly reduced un­til it was finally necessary to lift the water at consider­able distance with stumps. He states he has discussed this subject with various member* of the Chamber end local busi­ness Eton and In most Instances their response was non-com­mittal. The natural reaction to the proposal is a'fear that water rates will be increased. #@ explained that we had no Intention of increas­ing the revenues of the f?«ter Company through - use of meters and in fact could not do so even though we wished to, inas­much as the control of water rates is exclusively in the hands'of the Public Service Ooaffiiseibn. He said he under­stood this and had so explained this to the objectors. We offered to appear before the Chamber of Com­merce in open meeting and discu&s the necessity of amend­ing the meter law, but it wan his suggestion that more prompt action could be obtained by meeting with the appro­priate committee. He said pointed today or tomorrow ant<h; e wonuewl d copmrmoibtatbeley wboeu lhde abdeed apby­