governed by no explicit national policy. Such policies as exist have developed piecemeal by incorporation in legislation authorizing particular projects, or from interpretations of various statutes by the interested Federal agencies. There are 25 Federal agencies with major responsibilities for water and power programs, and there are 18 other agencies with minor interests in these fields. Inconsistencies in legislative and interpretative policies, coupled with the conflicting aims of various agencies, have led to confusion and waste. This situation is not conducive to "the realization of an optimum degree of physical and economic efficiency" in land and water resources development. Various public and private organizations have for some years devoted a great deal of thought to the development of a broad national water policy which would provide a uniform basis for judging the merits of water resources projects. In 1951 Engineers Joint Council published a report, Principles of a Sound National Water Policy. This report was prepared by a group of approximately 80 disinterested engineers, none of whom were Federal employees. The report consisted of a general statement regarding fundamental principles and their application to water resources development, followed by eight task committee reports on specific phases of water resources prepared by engineers specializing in those particular fields. The national water policy panel of EJC endorses the proposal that the Congress enact legislation which will establish criteria upon which future authorization of water resources must be based. It requests an opportunity to testify upon such proposed legislation as may be submitted to the Congress. Briefly EJC believes that 1. Items of economic policy which are of general applicability should be presented for use in connection with all functions of Federal water resources development, and for use uniformly by all agencies with responsibilities thereto. 2. There should be maximum participation by non-Federal capital. 3. Adequate time should be allowed for collection of essential data, and determination of the need for the carrying out of such development so as to lead to a lower rate of expenditure during periods of prosperity and a higher rate during periods of reduced activity and employment. 4. The benefit-cost ratio should be more than unity. 5. Justification should be by projects rather than by river basins. 6. So far as practicable, Federal water projects should be selfsupporting and self-liquidating. 7. There "there should be created a board for the impartial analysis and appraisal of Federal water projects and its review and report thereon should be prerequisite to the authorization or appropriation by Congress of or for projects of that kind." 8. Engineers Joint Council takes no position upon the question as to whether such a board should be responsible to the Congress or to the executive branch of the Government. Engineers Joint Council requests the privilege of presenting its views on water resources to the Senate Committees on Interior and Insular Affairs and on Public Works. 85-2 POTABLE WATER PROBLEM ST. THOMAS, VIRGIN ISLANDS MEMORANDUM OF THE CHAIRMAN TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS UNITED STATES SENATE JANUARY 15, 1957 Printed for the use of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS JAMES E. MURRAY, Montana, Chairman CLINTON P. ANDERSON, New Mexico RICHARD L. NEUBERGER, Oregon ALAN BIBLE, Nevada JOHN A. CARROLL, Colorado GEORGE W. MALONE, Nevada HENRY DWORSHAK, Idaho THOMAS H. KUCHEL, California FRANK A. BARRETT, Wyoming STEWART FRENCH, Chief Counsel and Staff Director N. D. MCSHERRY, Assistant Chief Clerk GOODRICH W. LINEWEAVER, Committee Assistant for Reclamation II POTABLE WATER PROBLEM-ST. THOMAS, V. I. Memorandum. JANUARY 15, 1957. To: Members of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. Attached is the report of Goodrich W. Lineweaver, committee assistant, on the potable water problem of the Virgin Islands, particularly St. Thomas, on which is located the city of Charlotte Amalie, the seat of government. For some years I have been concerned at the scarcity of fresh water on St. Thomas. The problem has been accentuated by the increasing number of visitors to the island and the desire of outside capital to increase its investment in hotel, tourist, and guest facilities, as well as service activities. Due to Mr. Lineweaver's experience in organizing the saline water program in the Department of the Interior when he was with the Bureau of Reclamation, I assigned him to look into the subject in connection with an assignment to Puerto Rico, at the request of the Water Resources Authority of the insular government. I directed Mr. Lineweaver to make an objective examination of the water problem on St. Thomas, and submit his report to me with recommendations. Copies of the Lineweaver report, in the form of a committee print, are being furnished the Secretary of the Interior, the Governor and other officials of the Virgin Islands, and other agencies and individuals concerned with requests for comment. I will appreciate the comments and suggestions of members of the committee. JAMES E. MURRAY, Chairman. COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS, Memorandum. UNITED STATES SENATE, December 29, 1956. To: Hon. James E. Murray, chairman, Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. From: Goodrich W. Lineweaver, committee assistant. Responsive to your instructions, I visited the Virgin Islands last fall in connection with an examination into reports of a critical potable water-supply problem on the island of St. Thomas. Attached is my report, which summarizes my observations and recommendations. My report includes an analysis of a proposal for meeting the most urgent needs by installing a distillation plant to produce potable supplies from sea water, with provision for a demonstration unit under the saline-water program of the Department of the Interior. The principal points brought out in the report are as follows: 1. A most critical deficiency exists on the island of St. Thomas, including the city of Charlotte Amalie, the seat of the island government. This deficiency is expected to require an additional 200,000 gallons of water daily by the early 1960's. At the present time, that supplemental supply of potable water is needed during most of the 6 months dry season. 2. This deficiency, which jeopardizes the present economy of the area, as well as blocking future expansion, has been recognized to be a Federal responsibility by past and current congressional and executive actions. 3. Analysis of years of experience with the various methods of converting sea water lead to the conclusion that the distillation process is best adapted to the particular situation on St. Thomas. Engineering consultants recommend that the present emergency could be met best by installing six of the Navy distillation units that are available at relatively low cost, and that these should meet the needs through 1964. The distillation plant would deliver potable water into the existing distribution system operated by the public-works department. 4. The Secretary of the Interior has responsibility, under the saline water program approved by the Congress, for developing low-cost processes for conversion of saline and brackish waters, and he also has administrative responsibility for the Virgin Islands. Under existing authority, the Secretary of the Interior has the authority to coordinate the utilitarian project for providing a potable supply with the demonstration of improved distillation methods. 5. Incident to production of a potable supply, generation of electric energy by means of the steam byproduct will provide revenue to aid in financing the project, as well as providing needed low-cost energy. 6. Large volumes of capital are understood to be ready to increase investments in hotels and related facilities on St. Thomas when assurances of a permanent fresh water supply are available. The already increasing number of visitors is taxing existing facilities. 7. The water conversion and electric generation facilities should be operated by the Virgin Islands Corporation, a Government-chartered agency. By statutory provision, the Secretary of the Interior is a director of the Virgin Islands Corporation, and thus there would be additional means for coordination of the utilitarian and research phases of the activity. 8. The top estimate of the engineers is $1,548,000 for installing 6 distillation units to be purchased from the Navy, plus $396,000 for the electric power facilities, or a total of $1,944,000. This cost estimate might be reduced to $1,600,000 by possible savings without consideration of participation of the saline water program. 9. Informal estimate of the cost of demonstration of improved methods of the distillation of sea water is $250,000 (including technical observation and supervision). Such a demonstration unit might be substituted for one of the Navy units. Funds for such demonstration are authorized by Public Law 448, 82d Congress. 10. Financing of the project would necessarily be by appropriations authorized by Congress. Alternatives are: (a) outright grant; (b) loan without interest; (c) long-term loan bearing interest after an initial 10 years; (d) conventional loan; (e) reinstatement of authority for emergency funds under the Virgin Islands Organic Act of 1954. |