Show 55 d I THE WATER SITUATION 4 J 1 FOR t OR the past three weeks The Telegram I 1 ha has been een printing printing a series series of of t Jf articles s on n the the S Salt Lake w water ter situation 1 91 i to but one c conclusion and that tha is I t growth row h and deve development de n nt of the the Salt Vater water system has been without vision I and t discrimination in curr current nt needs t f fl I responsibility is isto to be attributed d t to no noS ad l l J administration S although some ome lM i been more responsible than f i Responsibility however is S not a Yi after r i moment for fot the immediate concern t the public pubic is fo for the future future and arid endeavor f i y n fix r responsibility ty for for past mis mistakes akes and J de ders s always resembles a post mortem I S 1 11 1 j 1 S r S Public Concern t i t- t The pe of Salt Lake L-ake are m more r I conto cont con- con to i ed with prevention of a recurrence n e of f the thel i i water ater l r sh shortage tt g of of the past season than thai w with th I disciplinary nary measures The Telegram does n not t. t pretend that it its invest investigation g. g ti n was exhaustive ex- ex j h tive stive in every detail but it do does s say that S uncovered covered serious breaches of f the i Vy es public and administration and d develop develop- merit ment blunders which should Jd h have l-av v th the th consideration c of every civic civic organization in ij the Cit city ity S 5 2 T V Nothing thing is is is more vital vital t to the welfare fe of a 1 1 V community p n ty W than tUan an tn adequate water supply When th the w. w water ter supply is t threatened or br en- en H should hould be the immediate concern J S q of every every conscientious citizen Since the i. i citizenship tiie ship can work only through its civic Organizations t it becomes the man manifest fest- fest duty t J f th these se organizations to concern t themselves emsel es the problem Moreover the th que question water supply for Salt Lake w would uld seem seeth seem to toa ei a problem for all of our civic civi I ifs working y n ng as a unit An nd n no not the ne passing pasing A tf of any one lone of t them e 1 r r f From m The Telegram l investigation it may I ely a concluded that Salt Lake L-ake in spite the dr th of oftie the last summer and in spite i Of s f-s some me q questionable development plans is till PU without a a co s ve plan of water j supply supply and dev development loment f for r the future This if J. J O iJ ld d app appear ar t to be t the e ei i ideal e l time for a minute and complete t investigation of current water 1 eeds and administration as well as is for W a program which h will take take carS care care car S l r the city of four or five times the fhe present population p S or S ak- ak i Appalling Leakage t The The Telegram investigation nv stig tion Would seem P Pj show w th that t there is an appalling pp le leakage 41 in the distributing i ss system which is J responsible for the burden burde of the wat Water r short- short ge which has be been beti h suffered red to date It i is rW contended that we have enough water i Br h future nor is it urged d th that t we ignore I future tH r needs but it is claimed that th the suf- suf S It fH rg of the p past st summer w would uld have been eliminated ted it if all of th the water furnished the 60 tt fe ch d the e consumers consumers- l rs eleven n million gallons of wafer t t r daily is s delivered to the distributing system which as is s never accounted d t for i hi by consumption revenue Until we l locate cate j remedy emedy m the source of or this l loss ss it is is a Ya t of of tJ time l m money ney and energy to build t se rv irs rs and nd st storage rage facilities to say noth- noth l evolving restrictions for the conserva conserva- fB i f wat water r. r 5 h A. A w Water vater ter loss of this t 1 pr proportion portion sh should uld e every ery CIVIC civicS civic organization to action achon t rW b thus th thus s far far t this is phase of the water problem problems to s to have been entirely neglected ted except yi casual ua t reference ferente to th the d desirability of ing irig sue surveys ur v ys- ys There J is another nother element d J 1 h should have ve the earnest arli st attention tt of jh civic org organizations and that is a thor that f. f t f sf o of existing water v at r rj rights a possible le g g to b be had t J u h t the c 1 s ru p of ot gew new t res r t H te reservoirs T 0 t Job r. r-r. r. r I r t if 16 N J 6 the second unit of which has proved d almost wholly worthless S Breach of Faith It can an do no good t to build reservoirs reservoirs' if we have have not riot the water to put In them or reservoirs that will witt not hold vater water Th The trend of the present city administration seems to be to 10 build reservoirs regardless of whether they will ever b be filled or r not 1101 Civic organizations organizations organizations should likewise concern themselves with the manner manner of spending money as practiced practiced by the city commission Examination of the bond accounts reveals a woeful breach of the public confidence which should not be tolerated In tn a self respecting community When the taxpayers vote money for certain public improvements these improvements should be furnished regardless of subsequent desires o of the city commission S S Take the money voted for City creek water development for for instance 1 The ci city y commission commissi n now plans to spend the money in Pat Parleys Parley's leys ley's c canyon possibly because they can find no dains damsite t in City creek The qu qualifying el element ment however ye is something that should have been known to fo th the city commission before before before be be- fore it ii asked for money for for- forthe the improvement S Similarly miL money money voted for or z zoo o improvements improvement is to be wiped out by the he Mountain Dell improvement By this tok token n the public c canh can h have ve little titHe or no faith in bond issues The official word is worthless The public might ight I b be asked to fin finance nce a 3 comprehensive plan for future water development nt By the record of the present city commission what assurance assurance assur assur- ance would it have that t the money would not be transferred to meet some other whim of the commission and d' never find fUnd its w way y to projects irid indorsed r d by th the taxpayers S A Civic Duty Duly In In this investigation The Tile Telegram h has as ashad s shad had S no ax to grind It It has had no o part partisan san sanor or or political interest Its Its interest is pure purely y that of the good citizen citizen which same Should be held by ly y the Rotary y club th the I chamber of I commerce the he EX Exchange club 1 b the Lions i ns club b band and every other organization interested i I civic welfare arid and good government Responsibilities Responsibilities I like those involved in in juggling the thebon bond bon funds are facts factS' given without animus I and are aie to be De regarded d as as' as criticism of public puli officials only in s so fir far as as' those officials lS ate are responsible for th the conditions which pr prevail I The facts fact presented by The Telegram furnish furnish furnish fur fur- nish the lea leads s' s fo io foan an exhaustive investigation which might be bg Undertaken ken by the civic organizations organizations or or- representative pf our bUr best civic spirit An exhaustive and independent in in- in fiori ess essential i to the r st c t of f our water system m which the past summer indicates has broken down Not only would it correct th the faults now v existing but but it wo would ld also rid rief lis us s of the fragmentary plan of d deVelopment de de development now practiced d and give us a definite definite definite nite and complete program yh which cl would be practical l for future needs Civic interest is ison ison ison on tri trial 1 |