The main work is located on the bank of the Ohio River, and takes its supply through two stone aqueducts, each 100 feet in length. The western one is extended 60 feet further into the channel of the river by two 40-inch wrought-iron pipes.
The pumping engines at these works are—three double and three single engines with a combined theoretical capacity of 49 millions, with present available capacity of 32 millions. The oldest reservoir, built in 1850-’53, is a stone structure, entirely above the surface ground, made in two divisions 23 feet in depth; the eastern part being 163 by 116 feet, and western 180 by 116 feet. Its capacity is 5½ million gallons. The cost was $50,000; its elevation, 176 feet above low-water mark in the Ohio River. The largest reservoir is built in a ravine, where a masonry structure was erected 1,251 feet long, 120 feet high, 48½ feet in width at the bottom, and 25 feet on top. There are two compartments formed by a masonry wall 307 feet in length, 30 feet at the base, 10 feet on top, and 67½ feet extreme height. The upper part contains 57 millions, and the lower 43 million gallons, at 30 feet depth. The elevation of flow line is 235 feet above low water in the Ohio River. The cost was $1,660,000. The high service No. 1 supplies nearly two millions daily to the hill-tops, pumping into two iron tanks, each 60 feet diameter by 38 feet high, 310 feet above the pumping station level, through 2,700 feet of 20-inch and 4,501 feet of 16-inch cast-iron pipe. The cost of this service to 1881, with forty miles of pipe, two pumping engines of six million capacity, tanks, etc., was nearly half a million dollars.
No. 2, high service, was started in June, 1881. About 15,000 gallons are pumped daily into an iron tank, thirty feet in diameter by sixteen feet high, temporarily erected on wooden supports sixteen feet high. The elevation of flow line of tank is 354 feet above the pump station.
| Number of miles of pipe in use (1880) | 189 |
| Number of valves in use | 2,334 |
| Number of branches or taps | 23,627 |
| Number of meters | 545 |
| Number of hydraulic elevators | 318 |
| Daily average consumption of water for 1880 | 19,476,739 |
| Population | 260,000 |
| Gallons of water per inhabitant per 24 hours | 75 |
| Largest consumption of water for one day, 1880 | 27,951,391 |
The present value of works is $6,778,847.55, distributed as follows:
| Hunt Street Pumping Works | $ 184,475.98 |
| Front “ “ “ | 1,696,356.33 |
| Third Street Reservoir and property | 400,000.00 |
| Mt. Auburn Tanks | 35,000.00 |
| Water Mains | 2,706,864.58 |
| Western Hill Supply, No. 2, High Service | 58,603.61 |
| Garden of Eden Reservoir | 1,670,225.55 |
| Office Fixtures | 5,000.00 |
| Markley Farm | 22,321.50 |
The amount of outstanding water-works bonds is $1,625,000.00.
The water-fund provides for the interest on the entire fund, and a sinking fund for $600,000 of bonded indebtedness. The department furnishes free water to the fire department and public buildings to the amount of $40,000 per annum.
| The net water-rent receipts for 1880 were | $499,857.36 | ||
| Net expenses | $186,527.90 | ||
| Net interest | 102,768.00 | 289,295.90 | |
| ————— | |||
| Net gain (applied to extension of mains) | $210,561.46 | ||