CITY OF BOSTON.

CITY HALL, COCHITUATE WATER BOARD OFFICE.

May, 1873.

TO THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BOSTON :

In accordance with the requirements of the City Ordinance, the Cochituate Water Board herewith submit their annual report for the year ending April 30th, 1873, together with the reports of the Clerk of the Board, the Superintendent of the Eastern and Western Divisions, Water Registrar, and City Engineer, to which they would refer the City Council for detailed statements of the progress and condition of the Water Works during the year.

An examination of these reports will show the works to be in a very satisfactory condition.

At the date of the last annual report, the Board were especially engaged in the construction of a temporary connection between Sudbury River and Lake Cochituate ; the channel was completed in June, 1872, and on the 19th day of that month, the water from Sudbury River was let in, and (with sundry interruptions) continued to flow into Lake Cochituate until the 17th day of September, when the channel was closed, and has not since been used. The amount of water thus conveyed into Lake Cochituate cannot be accurately stated, but is computed by rough gauging to be 1,676,600,000 gallons; a sufficient quantity to supply the city for more that one hundred days.

After the completion of this temporary connection, the City Engineer engaged in making surveys and plans for the loca

tion and construction of a permanent conduit of great capacity to convey the water from our new source of supply (Sudbury River) to Chestnut Hill Reservoir - a distance of about sixteen miles.

His report upon this subject was made to this Board in January last, and duly transmitted to the City Council, and by them approved.

An appropriation of five hundred thousand dollars has been made for the commencement of the work. A force will at once be put into the field, and portions of the work got under contract at an early day.

To render the supply from Sudbury River the most efficient, it is necessary to build two or more storage reservoirs, of liberal dimensions, upon the river, and, by means of a conduit, divert the water into Farm Pond at Framingham, thence by a second conduit to Chestnut Hill Reservoir. To reach the reservoir, and by the most desirable route, will involve the construction of two or more tunnels through solid rocks. The distance to be tunnelled will probably amount to seven or eight thousand feet.

The size of the conduit will be eight and one-half feet diameter,― over two feet larger than the conduit which connects Lake Cochituate with Chestnut Hill.

It is estimated that this work, when complete, will cost nearly five million dollars, a vast sum in itself considered; but the advantages to be derived from its expenditure can be appreciated in the fact that it will ensure the City of Boston an ample water supply for the next half century. The work will be pursued with energy, but much time (three vears and perhaps more) will be required for its completion.

The temporary connection between Sudbury River and Lake Cochituate will be kept intact until the permanent works are constructed.

The present supply of water at the lake renders it probable

that no demands will be made upon Sudbury River during the year 1873.

The average level of the water in the lake for the year

91

ending January 1st, 1873, was 6,216 feet above the level of

100

the bottom of the conduit; the average of the previous year was 65. The level of the water would have fallen far below the previous year except for the introduction of Sudbury River.

100

CONSUMPTION OF WATER.

The average daily consumption of water for the year ending Dec. 31, 1872, was 15,063,400 gallons; an increase of 1,117,900 per day, as compared with the previous year.

The rapid growth of the city in population and mechanical pursuits increases the demand for water, and the wisdom of securing an additional supply is daily made more apparent.

The largest consumption of water was in the month of November, averaging nearly eighteen million gallons daily. This large demand was materially increased by the great conflagration which occurred on the 9th and 10th days of November.

By the records in the office of the City Engineer, it appears that the quantity of water used, during the thirty-five hours of the fire, was sufficient to flood the entire area of the "burnt district" (estimated at 60 acres) to a depth of 101⁄2 inches; and would cover the area occupied by the buildings burned, to a depth of nearly 14 inches.

The income from water rates has been $851,474.31, being an increase over the previous year of $63,222,26, and the estimated income for the year ending April 30, 1874, is $875,000.

This division comprises all the works lying east of the Brookline Reservoir, including the distributing pipes and reservoirs in the city, and is under the care of Mr. E. R. Jones.

During the year there has been laid ninety-four thousand and forty-six (94,046) feet of main pipe, equal to about eighteen miles; total length of main pipes laid from the commencement of the works to present time is two hundred and thirty-seven miles.

Connected with the mains are two thousand six hundred and fifty-eight fire hydrants, an increase of two hundred and

twenty-five during the year.

Of the hydrants now in use

eleven hundred and forty are of the Lowry pattern, and this

pattern is now exclusively used, wherever new mains are

laid or alterations made.

The hydrants are located as follows:

The number of service pipes laid during the year is (2,195) two thousand one hundred and ninety-five, measuring three thousand two hundred sixty-six feet, or about twelve miles.

The work of connecting a portion of South Boston with the "high-service" system, and mentioned in our last report, has been completed, and is very satisfactory to the watertakers in that section of the city.

The connection between the Mystic (Charlestown) Water Works and Beacon Hill has been made by means of largesized pipes, and, in case of any emergency or disablement of works in Boston, or Charlestown, great benefits would be derived.

The relaying of main lines through the "burnt district" has commenced, and will be continued as fast as new lines of streets are determined, and other circumstances permit.

In most cases the new mains will be of increased capacity, and all new hydrants will be of the Lowry pattern.

The City Engineer has been called upon to examine the present mains, by which the easterly section of the city is supplied, and his report indicates a need of greater capacity