Scope and Contents

The records of the Water Department include historical information, newspaper clippings (1905-1988), miscellaneous correspondence (1910-1964), and miscellaneous well logs. Some well logs include chemical analysis of the water (1943-1980) for some wells. Other subseries are photographs which are undated, but seem to date mainly from the 1940s-1950s, and water reports (1905, 1923, 1932) were presented to the Council and summarized water department activities to that point and suggested improvements. Ground water studies examine ground water contamination of wells. Most clean-up efforts are contracted out. These are organized in the collection by date of study.

The final two subseries of the Water Department records are the water main tap records (1877-1992) which are permits to tap into the water main on microfiche and water rate volumes (1885-1906). These materials are arranged in sequential tap number order. The index must be consulted to refer from an address to the tap number. The water rate volumes often include other interesting information about the property beside the owner, address and amount due. Other categories were for dwellings, number of rooms, horses, cows, stables, sprinklers, baths, hoses for cars, etc.