upr000050 18

Las f#gas - Oct. 9, 194® f 23-3-S Mr. f. W. fhite, director State Board of health Heno, Hevafia Bear Mr. Whites This will acknowledge and thank you for tfem copy of your letter Sept. 22nd to Senator MeOarraa, ©onoeraing water meters. ' We hare always been of the opinion that the law prohibiting the use of water aeiers in cities of over §#QQO population was unjust, and. was conducive to the waste of water, this is particularly true in the present war times, and with the large influx of population incident to construction of the Basic Magnesium Plant in this vicinity, it was necessary for us to drill a number of additional wells in order to insure an adequate supply for the city. We know, of course, that the supply In the subterranean channel is not inexhaustible and for that reaeon have been very much concerned with the problem of water wastage, particularly In the summer months. In 1939 a City Ordinance was passed, prohibiting the waste of water and resultant damage to pavements and other city property, and w® have also gone in on an extensive scale for an advertising program, both through the press and local radio, asking the cooperation of consumers in reducing water waste. Cncpestioaably, we have the full cooperation of the large majority of our consumers, but some of them complain there is no* point in their conserving water when their neighbor next door allowed it to run to waste. This is the point where water meters come Into the program. To be frank, we ^ould not Institute e blanket program of installing water meters all over the city, even though this law were repealed because we want our consumers to use all