The Commissioner and the Sprinkler
A city official goes door-to-door in the hill district to enforce water restrictions, with mixed results.
While making tests of the water pressure in the hill district yesterday, Commissioner Welsh had several amusing experiences. At one place, he found a lawn sprinkler running in the middle of the afternoon. Mr. Welsh informed the lady of the house that the water was running contrary to orders, and her excuse was that the pressure was so low that the sprinkler had to be put on during the day to get any water at all. Mr. Welsh convinced the lady that the water ought not to be turned on during the day, and she said: 'Don't tell the commissioner about it this time and I won't do it again.' Commissioner Welsh reports that the water pressure in the hill district is generally good, measured at 50 pounds in the afternoon and increasing to 80 pounds in the evening at Eighth and M streets.
“Don't tell the commissioner about it this time and I won't do it again.”
City-managed water infrastructure and conservation remain a primary concern for Tacoma. The struggle between municipal oversight and the practical realities of residents (low pressure) remains a recurring civic theme.
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