Tacoma Weighs Water Security
City council members reject Seattle’s gravity water model in favor of local, closed-well systems at South Tacoma.
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.
When the committee appointed to investigate the gravity water supply system in Seattle reports to the city council tomorrow night, another argument will be recorded in favor of the sinking of more wells at South Tacoma. Headed by Councilman Conrad, the committee thoroughly went over the Seattle water system and arrived at the conclusion that the system of waterworks advocated by The Times was the thing for Tacoma. The committee found that the Seattle gravity system cost $1,200,000, with operating costs of $1,000 a month. It requires about five years to establish such a system, which the councilmen consider sufficient reason for not recommending it for Tacoma. Mayor Wright and Commissioner of Public Works Welsh are both strong advocates of the well-based plan. Aside from the satisfactory showing made by the three wells at South Tacoma, one of the reasons why Tacoma councilmen are not in favor of the gravity system is the fact that Seattle's expensive water supply is in danger of contamination from small settlements along the Cedar River. This fact, with the known conditions existing along Clover Creek, has led the council to favor a supply of water from closed wells.
“Recent developments, however, show that the water supply is being polluted by small settlements along the Cedar river.”
Tacoma’s early 20th-century obsession with water purity and infrastructure autonomy remains a defining feature of the city's identity. Today, Tacoma Water remains a municipally managed utility, having successfully avoided the regionalized pitfalls that concerned the 1904 council.
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