Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
WATER DEPARTMENT
This entry is being edited.
WATER DEPARTMENT. Early residents of the city depended on private wells or cisterns. The first recorded effort to supply water came in 1838 when city officials ordered the digging of three wells for fire protection. In January, 1855, H. L. Stout and sixteen others, upon petition, were granted the exclusive privilege of supplying the city with water by water works. (1)
One of the things to which we wish to call the
attention of the city fathers is the fact that
most of the water which is supplied by the water
carriers of Dubuque to their customers is obtained
along the inner levee and at other most improper
places. (Express and Herald, May 31, 1856.) (2)
Prior to the CIVIL WAR, two barrels of water cost twenty cents delivered in town and thirty-five cents on the bluffs. A plan to pump river water into the city was stopped when its quality was unfavorably compared to the quality of local beer.
In 1864 a stock company called the Level and Lead Mining Company, was formed by Selah Chamberlain, Newton W. Kimball, Henry W.Clark, Randall J. Giggs, and J. W. Parker to blast a tunnel beneath a hill located between what is now Kaufmann Avenue and an area known as West Dubuque. (3) The tunnel was planned to lower the water level of the region enough to allow increased MINING. The company was to be rewarded with 10 percent of the profits from all mines drained of water. A second company interested in tunneling was also established at this time with such local backers as Peter KIENE, Julius K. GRAVES, William Boyd ALLISON, Joseph A. RHOMBERG, D. N. COOLEY, and Richard A. BABBAGE. This company, however, gave up the project and disbanded on October 29, 1870.
In their unsuccessful attempt to construct the tunnel, the Chamberlain- Kimball company tapped a vein of water that flowed at an estimated daily rate of 400,000 gallons. Since the tunnel was approximately eighty feet above the level of downtown Dubuque the idea developed of operating a water company. Two years passed before the company finalized the idea of halting the waste of water by converting the torrent into a water works. (4)
On December 6, 1870 he city council gave the company the franchise to operate under the name of the Dubuque Water Company. (5) The council retained a right to purchase the plant in twenty years at the expiration of the franchise. In August, 1866 the company was authorized by the council to lay pipes in the city. (6) The company was required to provide water by gravity pressure until increased consumption required pumping equipment. (7)
In October, 1870, the water company was disbanded — had made a failure. Almost immediately afterward another water company was organized. Of the water company John Thompson was president; the company had a capital of $300,000. (8)
On July 31, 1871 the first water pipe in Iowa was laid between Main and Iowa on Seventh. (9) During 1871 cast-iron mains were laid in the north-south alleys by the waterworks company. A party was held on August 22, 1871, at which many of Dubuque's prominent businessmen journeyed through the tunnel inspecting the water supply. (10) At this time the tunnel ran back under the present BUNKER HILL GOLF COURSE at a depth of one hundred eighty feet.
The new waterworks were fully completed in October, 1871, and tested; the capacity of the reservoir was 250,000 gallons. It was seen that a new reservoir would be necessary and one holding 2,000,000 gallons was planned. The new water reservoir, completed in the spring of 1873, was 230x56 feet; walls, 18 feet high; walls, 6 feet at the base and 3 feet at the top; capacity, 2,000,000 gallons; cost, $22,000.(11)
The water company was given the right in March, 1887, to put in pumping works at the Lorimier House artesian well and from it to furnish the hill its supply of water; this well was 1,050 feet deep and flowed 180 gallons to the minute. (12)
Demand for water in the hill districts, where gravity pressure failed to reach, expanded by 1880. In an agreement with the Lorimer Hotel at Eighth and Bluff STREETS, a small pump was placed in their basement. A wooden water tank was also constructed at Julien and Wilson avenues. When filled, this served the hill district and the homes below that level with adequate water. (13) In 1888 and new pumping station was constructed at the bottom of 8th Street and a 400,000 gallon standpipe was built on Delhi in 1889 to provide water to residents at a higher elevation in the city. The water supply for the standpipe came from an artesian well drilled at the site of the pumping station. (14)
In 1891 city officials insisted on direct water pressure and better service from the water company. (15) The extension of sanitary sewers throughout much of the main part of the city had increased the demand for water. (16)
In 1898 the original stockholders sold the water works to another group of investors. (17) Improvements were made throughout the system, but editorials in the newspaper called for municipal ownership. A special election was held on the question of municipal ownership and the issue passed. (18)
The same year the City Council decided it was time for municipal ownership of the water works and exercised its right granted by the franchise. The council originally proposed $150,000, an offer rejected by the water company which placed the value of their property at $815.00 (19) Believing their offer was justified, the council threatened to enforce the transfer and called in experts to make estimates of the plant. One expert quoted a value of $664,076 while another estimated the value at $799,767.75. (20) The city's experts averaged a price of $475,000. The matter was left to Judge Oliver Perry SHIRAS to settle, but he was unable to arbitrate the issue.
The final price was fixed at $545,000. (22) Since the city was already in debt over one million dollars, both men and women in the city were asked to vote whether this additional debt should be incurred. Women voted 275-33 for the purchase while the men voted 3,133 to 459 in favor. This was the first election in the city of Dubuque in which women were allowed to vote. (23) The plant was purchased, trustees were given charge of the work, and bonds were prepared. The question of the legality of the issue resulted in no bids for the bonds. Finally local banks and individuals purchased the bonds, but were allowed a mortgage on the plant, a definite funding tax, and payment of 4.5 percent.
In 1905 an investigation of the water works management revealed that the books were in poor condition. (24) There was also a large debt approaching $49,000 for the purchase of all types of supplies. Charges were lodged against the trustees who resigned. The deficit was added to the city's regular bonded debt. This incident has been considered one of Dubuque's worst incidents of official malfeasance. (25)
Starting in 1905, Dubuque began depending less and less on the springs located above LANGWORTHY HOLLOW. Wells were dug, new equipment was installed, and users were compelled to pay according to meter rates. (26) Previously, flat rates had been charged leading some to be very wasteful in their use of water. (27) The EAGLE POINT water station became the focus of the water delivery system. There were two wells--1,308 feet and 1,310. (28)
In 1907 Arthur McArthur confessed to having embezzled water works funds. He was superintendent and was sentenced to four years in the penitentiary. (29)
Use of spring water was finally discontinued completely in 1950 when the purity of the water began to vary considerably. Reservoirs off Kaufmann Avenue were maintained for emergency use only. Water continued to gush at a daily rate of approximately 400,000 gallons with excess flowing off through storm sewers.
Dubuque later joined Muscatine as Iowa's only two Mississippi River cities with a population over ten thousand to use well rather than river water. Water was collected from four shallow wells located between the Marina and the Mississippi. In 1939 the deepest well was being drilled at Shiras and Lincoln Avenues. At the time, the city's deepest well was supplying approximately two million gallons per day. (30) The new well, at a depth over 1,500 feet, was expected to produce between 3-3.5 million gallons daily. (31)
In the 1920s the water department was again behind other civic developments. With the beginning of the city-manager form of government, a total of $650,000 was spent to improve water service. Along with the reorganization of the fire department, the improved water department reduced the city's insurance rates by $675,000 annually. The indebtedness of the water department was almost entirely eliminated by 1933 due to its own profits.
The City of Dubuque in 1938 was one of only 140 Iowa municipalities to completely meet drinking water standards established by the Iowa Department of Health. This allowed the city to post signs on highways leading into the city stating,"Public Water Supply Approved by the Iowa Department of Health." In that year there were 554 Iowa municipalities with municipal water supplies. Of this number 140 were completely approved and 41 would be when form were signed. (32)
In late 1951 Dubuque began fluoridation of it drinking water. The initial cost was about ten cents per person. This was expected to drop to around seven cents by 1953. (33) The fluoridation system was installed at a cost of about $4,000 in response to dental societies claiming tooth decay could be reduced as much as 65% in children under eight years of age. (34)
Since 1956 the water treatment plant used lime to softened the city's water. In 1972 the city council accepted an Iowa Water Pollution Control Commission consent order that forced the city by 1976 to stop dumping an estimated 9 tons of lime sludge daily from the plant into the Mississippi River. The estimated cost installing new equipment to handle the problem was $800,000. (35)
Water from the pumping station was sent into storage tanks through more than 233 miles of mains as of January 1990. A "high" system supplied water to the hill areas, while a "low" system served downtown. In the 1950s an "intermediate" system was built to supply water to Eagle Point and the Windsor Avenue areas. The largest reservoir in Dubuque, with a capacity of over seven million gallons of water, is located at West Third and Birch. Dubuque's wells have been estimated to have the capacity of supplying enough water to supply a population of over one million people.
During fiscal year 1989 the average daily water demand in Dubuque was 7.9 million gallons or approximately 132 gallons per person per day. During the drought of July 1989, demand averaged 11.8 million gallons for a six-day period. The highest monthly average 10.05 million gallons and the maximum daily demand both occurred in June 1958. Residential use accounted, during 1989, for 54 percent of the water pumped in Dubuque. Industrial use equaled 38 percent.
The City of Dubuque in 1997 was judged to have the best tasting water in the United States in the municipal category. In the annual "Toast of the Tap: International Water Tasting and Competition" hosted by Berkley Springs, West Virginia, Dubuque ranked first of 82 entries from twenty-three states and four countries. Judges included travel and food writers. (36)
The fourth water tower in the city was announced in 2003. Located near the intersection of Kennedy Road and the Northwest Arterial, the Fourth Zone Water Tower had a concrete base supporting a steel tower capable of holding 1.25 million gallons of water. The innovative design was new in Iowa and promised to save the city thousands of dollars in maintenance. (37)
On September 17, 2009 International Business Machines (IBM) and the City of Dubuque, Iowa announced a new collaboration aimed at making the city one of the first "smarter" sustainable cities in the United States. (38) The first phase of the smart city partnership included a project to increase the city's and its citizens' understanding of their water management. To accomplish this, IBM developed a Platform for Real-time Integrated Sustainability Monitoring to provide the city with an integrated view of its energy management, including energy consumed by the electric grid, water system, and general city services. (39)
The city was currently implementing a city-wide water meter replacement project using the A.Y.MCDONALD MANUFACTURING COMPANY Unmeasured Flow Reducer (UFR). This followed a test of the device in 250-1,000 homes and businesses. (40) Participants in the study were able to go online to observe their daily water usage. (41). This device allowed consumers to identify waste and consider corrective measures. As the city improved its water management system, IBM's technology was used to collect water consumption data and give city staff real-time information into the overall city water consumption. As part of the water meter replacement project, the City of Dubuque created a rebate program for costs associated with repairing leaks identified by the new metering system. The City budgeted $10,000 annually for matching funds to fix leaks and reduce costs for water customers. (42)
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Source:
1. Oldt, Franklin T., History of Dubuque County Iowa. Chicago: Goodspeed Historical Association, 1880. http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/franklin-t-oldt/history-of-dubuque-county-iowa-being-a-general-survey-of-dubuque-county-histor-tdl/page-12-history-of-dubuque-county-iowa-being-a-general-survey-of-dubuque-county-histor-tdl.shtml
2. Ibid. p. 13
3. "Dubuque Plant Called One of Finest West of the Mississippi," Telegraph Herald, Dec. 6, 1925, p. 17. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gCRFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ULsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5368,6895609&dq=water+department+dubuque&hl=en
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Oldt., p. 17
7. "Dubuque Plant Called One of the Finest..."
8. Ibid.
9. Oldt., p. 19
10. Ibid.
11. Ibid.
12. "Dubuque Plant Called One of the Finest..."
13. Ibid.
14. Oldt. p. 21
15. "Dubuque Plant Called One of the Finest..."
16. Ibid.
17. Ibid.
18. Oldt.
19. "History of Dubuque and Dubuque County," Telegraph Herald, Jan. 15. 1939, p. 5. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dtdBAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BaoMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5766,3140247&dq=dubuque+electric+company&hl=en
20. "The Water Company Has Changed Hands," Nov. 24, 1898, p. 10. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NzlBAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0qgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1107,5454371&dq=dubuque+water+company&hl=en
21. Oldt, p. 22
22. Ibid.
23. "Now It Is Up to the People," Dubuque Daily Herald, June 30, 1900, p. 7. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TxhBAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cKgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3529,7930140&dq=dubuque+water+company&hl=en
24. Oldt., p. 22
25. Ibid.
26. Ibid.
27. Ibid.
28. "History of Dubuque and Dubuque County,"
29. Oldt, p. 22
30. Ibid., p. 23
31. "Water Gushes at New Well," Telegraph Herald, April 26, 1939, p. 5. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QulBAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FaoMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4562,1412648&dq=water+department+dubuque&hl=en
32. Ibid.
33. "Dubuque Among 181 Cities with Okeyhed (sic) Water Supply," Telegraph Herald, June 13, 1938, p. 3. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Z_hBAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SqoMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2871,5128769&dq=water+department+dubuque&hl=en
34. "Dubuque Water Supply Fluoridated," Telegraph Herald, May 29, 1953, p. 11. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TqxFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FL0MAAAAIBAJ&pg=7249,6782806&dq=water+department+dubuque&hl=en
35. Ibid.
36. Fyten, David. "Dubuque Agrees to Stop River Polluting Discharge by 1976," Telegraph Herald, Sept. 19, 1972, p. 5. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YBJRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1sQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4946,2962583&dq=water+department+dubuque&hl=en
37. Gwiasda, Susan B. "City Officials Tickled Over Tap-Water Title," Telegraph Herald, Feb. 25, 1997, p. 1. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ssBFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wr0MAAAAIBAJ&pg=2497,4390792&dq=water+department+dubuque&hl=en
38. "Dubuque Will Unveil New Water Tower," Telegraph Herald, Nov. 30, 2003, p. 7. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RMZFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=F74MAAAAIBAJ&pg=6633,7761759&dq=water+department+dubuque&hl=en
39. "IBM and Dubuque, Iowa Partner on Smarter City Initiative," Reuters, September 17, 2009. Online: http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/09/17/idUS35396+17-Sep-2009+PRN20090917
40. Curtis, Pat. "Dubuque Installs Computerized Water Meter System," RadioIowa, Nov, 12, 2013. Online: http://www.radioiowa.com/2010/01/20/dubuque-installs-computerized-water-meter-system/
41. Ibid.
42. "IBM and Dubuque, Iowa Partner..."