South Tacoma’s Quest for Clean Water
City officials prepare to test new artesian wells, aiming to replace a water supply plagued by 'foul drainage' and contamination.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
At noon today, Commissioner of Public Works Williams Welsh announced that an official test would be made next Monday of the three wells which have been sunk at South Tacoma to increase the city's water supply. Commissioner Welsh, together with City Electrician Thorns, made a hurried trip to the wells this morning and found everything ready for the test, just as Contractor L. F. McConihe had reported. Many of the residents of this city have watched the progress made with these wells with much interest and are glad to know that they will soon be sending forth a stream of pure, sparkling water, free from typhoid germs, for the city supply. The water which the city now uses is brought from Clover Creek. The source is contaminated by foul drainage from cesspools, privies and cow lots, and consequently is not fit for drinking purposes. The new wells force the water out of the earth from a depth of over 125 feet, where thick layers of hardpan prevent surface seepage.
“The source is contaminated by foul drainage from cesspools, privies and cow lots, and consequently is not fit for drinking purposes.”
Public health concerns regarding water purity were a major civic driver in 1904. Today, Tacoma's water management remains a critical infrastructure debate as the city balances environmental stewardship with the demands of rapid growth.
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