Page 19 - labwp1929annual

BOARD OF WATER AND POWER COllfllllSSIONERS 17

BETTERMENTS AND IMPROVEMENTS
The resources of the water distribution system over the past seven
or eight years have been taxed to their utmost, to keep up with the
abnormal growth of the city and its consequent demands for service.
As a result of this excessive demand upon the system and limited
financial resources, many needed betterments and improvements to the
water distribution system have been deferred from year to year, until
at the present time the system is in very great need of some extensive
betterment work. There are many places in the city where the water
pressure will be very low during the coming summer, if hot weather
prevails with the consequent demand for water.
In the Harbor District, the entire water supply comes from wells,
and while the water is very soft there is a slight amber color and a slight
odor which are objectionable to some people. This, with the growing
demands in the Harbor District, makes it imperative that some extensive
work be done in that District.
There should be undertaken as quickly as finances are available, a
comprehensive program of enlargement of trunk lines, mains, installa-
tion of additional wells, pumping plants and the construction of two or
three small reservoirs, totalling in all approximately $6,500,000.
The need for this construction work being put under way was out-
lined and provided for in the recent bond issue. It will be possible, by
changing our plans somewhat, to proceed with some of the most urgent
work, totalling about $750,000 during the coming year, out of remaining
1926 Water Works Bonds and Water Revenue.
However, the need for carrying out this full program is so urgent
and the water situation in Los Angeles is in such a serious shape, that
arrangements to re-submit to the voters a bond issue covering these re-
quirements, should be made at the earliest possible moment.
MAINS
142 miles of pipe for street mains was purchased during the year,
of which 132 miles was cast iron and weighed 17,456 tons. Ten miles of
this pipe was of the large diameter welded steel and riveted.
208.42 miles of water mains, four inches in diameter and larger,
were installed during the year, bringing the total length of mains in the
water works system up to 3,358.61 miles.
Of the total mains installed, approximately 128 miles was in the
main city district, 25 miles in the Harbor District and 55 miles in the
San Fernando District.
GENERAL AND DISTRICT WAREHOUSES
The gross issues of the warehouses during the year amounted to
$2,835,480.
The turn-over in stock in all the warehouses averaged 206 per cent.

TRANSPORTATION
The Transportation Section operated with 528 automobiles and
trucks, 29 trailers and 22 pieces of equipment specially mounted on trucks,
at the close of the present fiscal year. This shows an increase of 16
automobiles and trucks over the preceding year. This addition to the
fleet was made necessary, due to the requirements for additional equip-
ment on the Colorado River project, and the land appraisals in the
Owens Valley. This fleet of cars traveled 5,419,192 miles, at an operating
cost of 8.75 cents per mile, as compared with 512 cars traveling 5,313,365
mi~es for the previous year, at an average cost of 9.01 cents per mile.
'I'his represents a saving in total operating cost of .26 of a cent per mile.