deemed necessary for the adequate supply of the high-service districts in Lexington and Arlington. This is estimated to cost $15,000.

"An additional main for the improvement of the supply of the East Boston district has been asked for by the city of Boston. This district is now supplied by two mains laid across the Chelsea Creek, which are in so close proximity to each other, and the surroundings of which are such, that in case of fire in the neighborhood the entire supply for the district might be cut off and that section then be endangered. The Board after investigation has reached the conclusion that a new main should be laid, and it is estimated that this will cost a sum not exceeding $100,000.

"The Board accordingly recommends that, in addition to building the works and making the expenditures authorized by the legislatures of the preceding years, it be authorized to lay a new main for the high-service district in Lexington and Arlington, and to lay an additional main for the supply of the East Boston district of Boston, and that authority be given to issue the additional Metropolitan Water Loans which will be required, to the amount of $90,000."

The more detailed estimates which were made subsequently to the presentation of the above to the Legislature caused the Board to reduce its estimate of the cost of the additional main to East Boston from $100,000 to $90,000. The estimates for both the above purposes, therefore, as reduced would amount to $105,000. Inasmuch as there was a balance remaining under the appropriation for the 48inch water main from Chestnut Hill Reservoir through Brookline to the Boston boundary line of at least $25,000, the amount of additional Metropolitan loans which will be required in the event that the recommendations are adopted will be $80,000.

The attention of the Legislature was also called to the necessity of some additional legislation preliminary to the installation of a power plant at the Wachusett Dam in Clinton. The reasons for such legislation are set forth as follows:

"No constructive work has yet been begun under the appropriation made for a power plant at the Wachusett Dam and for the walls. and floor of the gate-house, for which expenditures of $115,000 and $7,000 were respectively authorized. The installation of machinery for a power plant has been delayed on account of the uncertainty which has existed as to the action which would be taken by the town

of Clinton in the matter of the purchase of the power to be generated, and also in order that the valuation of the power plant for purposes of taxation in the town of Clinton might be fixed, for which additional legislation would seem to be required.

"Under the statute of 1906, chapter 499, all property held by the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Board in the town of Clinton, outside of the dam and dike, used in the generation or sale of electricity for power or for manufacturing purposes, is made subject to taxation. It is difficult to determine the extent of the property to be used for the generation and sale of power under the language of the Act, so as to fix the proper valuation for taxation. It has seemed to the Board that such valuation should not exceed the value of the structure, machinery and other equipment for the generation of power, which would be required in addition to the provisions which have been made solely for the purposes of the water supply. Inasmuch as the Metropolitan Works have been established for the purpose of the water supply of the Metropolitan Water District, and the water is, as is estimated, nearly thirty times more valuable for this purpose of a water supply than is its incidental value at market rates for power, the Board would not be justified in taking any action which would impair the efficiency of the water to the District; nor would it be justified in proceeding to generate power and sell it, except at some profit to the District. The amount of power to be generated will vary greatly at different periods of the year, and at times must be entirely cut off under the exigencies of cleaning, repairs and accidents, so that the market value is much affected. The people of Clinton have also properly felt that the power should be disposed of so far as reasonably practicable to the advantage of the industries of the town. The taxes upon the plant may make so considerable an element in the cost of the power that a high valuation would make it impossible to dispose of it without a loss, and without a permanently established valuation it would be impossible to fix a price for the power and contract for its disposal. The Board accordingly recommends that the Legislature shall make or sanction a proper valuation of the power plant under the Act of 1906, upon which taxes shall be paid to the town of Clinton."

No additional loans or appropriations are requested for the Sewerage Works, but some legislation seemed called for to enable the

Board to do certain work which is necessary in the city of Quincy in order to carry out the requirements of the original High-level Sewer Act of the year 1899. The recommendation of the board is as follows:

"The original Act of 1899, chapter 424, section 8, authorizing the construction of the High-level Sewer, provided that the Metropolitan Sewerage Commission should build and operate such new force mains and pumping stations as might be necessary to enable the city of Quincy to drain its sewerage system into the High-level Sewer. It is anticipated that the Board will be called upon during the coming year, in accordance with the requirements of that Act, to install a small pumping station in that city; and it seems necessary that the Board shall be authorized to expend, from the above balance remaining in the South Metropolitan Loan Fund, such sum as may be necessary to fulfill the requirements of the statute."

XII. FUTURE WORK.

The estimates made for the current year for the maintenance and operation of the various works for the water supply and distribution of water in the cities and towns of the Metropolitan Water District, and of the works constructed for the collection and disposal of the sewage of the cities and towns of the North and South Metropolitan Sewerage districts, and the requests for appropriations submitted to the Legislature, amount to $665,000. The amount requested for the general maintenance of the Water Works is less by $9,700 than the appropriation of last year, and for special appropriations is less by $26,000. For the South Metropolitan Sewerage Works a sum less by $2,500 is asked for, and for the North Metropolitan Sewerage Works an increase of $2,100 is requested.

It is expected that the amount of construction to be done during the year 1910 will considerably exceed that which has been accomplished during the past year.

The most important of the works already authorized and now in progress is the laying of the 60-inch main from the terminus of the Weston Aqueduct to connect with the present mains near Chestnut Hill Reservoir, which was estimated to cost $750,000.

The building of a new pumping engine for the high service at the Chestnut Hill pumping station is in progress, and the contract calls for the completion in the early part of the year 1911.

If the small additional appropriation requested for the purpose, on account of maintenance, is made, the Board will at once proceed to carry out the proposed improvements of the Cochituate watershed by disposing of the surface drainage of the village of Cochituate in Wayland, for which plans and specifications are completed.

Various minor works for the protection of the water supply and the prevention of the pollution of the water are contemplated to be made upon the maintenance account.

If the authority asked for is obtained in accordance with its recommendations, the Board will forthwith proceed to lay a new main in Arlington for the reinforcement of the high service, and will also lay an additional main in Chelsea across Chelsea Creek for the better supply of the East Boston district.

It is also anticipated that arrangements will be completed by which the Board can proceed to the installation of a power plant at the Wachusett Dam in Clinton, for which an appropriation of $115,000 has already been made, with an additional sum of $7,000 for completing the power and gate house.

The work of enlargement and equipment with engines, pumps and boilers of the pumping stations at East Boston and at Deer Island is in progress and will be actively prosecuted during the year.

The Board has been called upon by the city of Quincy to proceed to the construction of a small pumping station and force main in order that the sewage of a low area in the eastern part of that city may be lifted into the Metropolitan High-level Sewer, as required by the original High-level Sewer Act, and this construction will prob ably be undertaken early in the current year.

The detailed reports of the Chief Engineer of the Water Works and of the Chief Engineer of the Sewerage Works, with various tables and statistics, are herewith presented.

Respectfully submitted,

HENRY H. SPRAGUE.
HENRY P. WALCOTT.

JAMES A. BAILEY, JR.

BOSTON, February 26, 1910.