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Carson City, Nevada Nevada State Journal March 15, 1947 journal Established November 23, 1870 A Newspaper for the Home Merritt C. Speidel, President >- Joseph F. McDonald, Editor Joe F. Melcher, Advertising Manager The Nevada State Journal Is a member of Speidel News­papers, Inc., a national service organization promoting through the publication ot progressive newspapers the best Interests of the community and tne home. Entered at the Pcetofflce at Reno, Nevada, as second class matter. Published every morning, except Monday, In The I Journal Building. Center Street, Reno, Nevada. National Advertising Representatives: West-Holiday Com­pany, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit, Loa Angeles, Seattle, Portland- St. Louis, Cleveland. Member Audit Bureau of Circulation. Fua Leased Wire United Press Associations. By Carrier, 28c per. week, in Reno and Sparks. _ ' „ By Mall In Nevada and Northern California: Six Months.....................................VJl ................ ™ Three Months .............................I!!!!"!............. son , One Month...........................................•.?•.«,.,!!"!!!! 100 ‘ By mall to points outside Nevada and Northern California:. One Year...................................... sin a* Six Months......................I.. .. "...........................* «on One Month ..........................................1 00 WATER METERS Early this month a bill was introduced in ! the Nevada state senate authorizing the in­stallation of water meters in Nevada cities | and towns under certain conditions. Their installation is prohibited by law in towns, or cities of more than 4500 at the present time and the proposed law, SB 93, would let down the bars to a small degree. The bill was passed by the senate yesterday and now goes to the assembly where it was. When the; hill was introduced it was sug- j gested by this newspaper that action on it 1 he delayed until it could be given the most careful consideration and study. A careful study of the bill by persons com­petent to understand it discloses no ulterior motive. It provides a means whereby water users, who waste water, could be stopped or ! at least could be forced to pay for their ex­travagance or carelessness. The people of Reno, Sparks and Las Vegas waste water. No one will deny that, but there is no way to stop them and eventually, if the communities continue to grow, there will be a shortage of water for domestic purposes. We know that the Sierra Pacific Power Company, which supplies the domestic water for Reno and-Sparks, has no desire, to install meters here as it would add to the cost of operations; aside from an initial investment in meters and installation charges ,that would amount to $300,000 or more, which it would be difficult to recover through rate increases. However, the water company here and in Las Vegas faces an ever increasing demand for water with waste; also increasing. The cities of Reno and Sparks are paying for part of this waste by being forced to install larger sewer facilities. '.The Reno sewage disposal plant is inadequate now to take proper care of the sewage because of the tremendous volume of water that flows through the city sewers. Most of that water is waste water according to comparative figures obtained from other cities on the per capita consump­tion of water. The'bill which was passed by the senate, boiled down to its essentials, provids that the public service commission can order meters installed in individual cases, after a proper hearing, if .it is proved that the consumer is wasting water. The complaint can be filed by the state engineer, state health depart­ment, city officials or any other party. The net result, if the bill becomes a law, is to give cities, health departments or water companies, a club to be used in inducing flag­rant water hogs, who through carelessness or cussedness, refuses to use common sense in watering their lawns or in operating their cooling systems, to give some thought to the welfare of their neighbors.