The Looming Water Crisis

Until the problem of the water supply is finally settled the citizens of Seattle may expect to find themselves periodically called upon to meet new expenditures. It was with careful calculation that the Republican municipal administration advocated the adoption of the Cedar river gravity system, and now the Democrats are compelled to admit that the necessity is more immediately imperative than even the earliest advocates expected. Over two and a half years ago it was declared that in five years the difficulty must be faced, and now, after a full trial of the Lake Washington plan, the emergency is found to have arrived. Either the gravity system must be adopted, or a great and ultimately useless expense for pumps must be incurred. Superintendent Wilson has made a special report stating that of ten large cities, Seattle has the smallest water supply per capita, yet one-third of the current supply is wasted. He warns that the city is fast approaching a period when increased expenses of pumping will exceed the interest charges on a permanent gravity system. Every dollar now spent in increasing pumping capacity is a dead loss so far as the future is concerned. If the Cedar River system is to be our permanent supply—and health, as well as economy demands that it should be—construction should commence the coming summer.