THE WATER RATE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 16, 24 February 1914, Page 8

THE WATER RATE.

BASED ON ANNUAL VALUE. NOT ON WATER CONSUMED. The recent article in THE SUN, dealing with the position of the city's high pressure water supply brought a communication from a ratepayer, who considers that the existing system of charging for water is inequitable. The burden of his complaint was that the ratepayer is not charged according to the amount of water consumed. The charge is based on the annual value of his property. There is nothing like practical illustration, and the ratepayer quoted his own case. His property was valued at £lß2o, and he was charged for water annually the sum of £4 7/-. This amount, at 1/per 1000gals.,'entitled him to the use of 87,000 gallons per twelve months. His meter showed him that in three years (approximately) he had used only 23,000 gallons. He had an artesian supply for his domestic requirements. His contention was that it should be the policy of ttie city, in view of the possible shortage of water, to encourage consumers to use the water they required. The city was encouraging him, by charging him £4 7/-, to waste water, to which he was entitled, but which he did not require. Allowing that he was entitled to 87,000 gallons per year, and that he used only 10,000, he could legally turn on the tap and run 77,000 gallons into the side channel. The argument, he used was that ( the water charge should be based on the amount "consumed, and. not on the value of property. He quite recognised that some water rate should be charged for fire prevention, but the main principle should be "charge acaeording to consumption." THE REPLY.

The representative of THE SUN made some further enquiries into the matter, and gathered that the city • authorities would only be too glad to adopt the "charge on consumption" principle if these w'ere any cheap and effective way of getting at the consumption of individual households. The facts as to the system of charging on annual value had been- correctly stated by the ratepayer. The water charge is based on the annual value, except in a few cases where, under that system, the charge would get below the minimum of ten shillings. A rate-

payer paying £4 7/- was entitled to '87,000 gallons, so long as there was a meter attached, and he would not be subject to any extra charge unless he used more than that maximum.

Where water is used, for domestic only, and where there is no stand pipe for gardening purposes, there is no restriction on the amount to be used by the consumer. If a stand pipe were put in, a meter would have to be put in 'also, and the water used over and above the legal allowance (based on the rate on the annual value) would be charged for. A meter must be. put in i¥ water is to "be used for gardening purposes. That is the city rule. But like most rules, it is honoured in the breach as well as

in the observance. Hoses have been i found attached to taps in washhouses, ...and leading out to lawns and gardens, which had no stand pipes, and no meter. ..... It would be a big contract to supply meters for all consumers in Christchurch. There are some 12,000 connections, and with meters at £3 10/- each there is an expenditure of "£42,000 at one»\ Then there would be the appointment of several meter readers, inspectors, and an» increase in clerical work. ■ Altogether the meter system would be an expensive business, though under it ■ the strict justice asked for by the ratepayer would perhaps be secured.