Seattle Water Department Conservation Office Records, 1978-1989

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle (Wash.) Water Dept.
Title
Seattle Water Department Conservation Office Records
Dates
1978-1989 (inclusive)
Quantity
.6 cubic foot, (2 boxes)
Collection Number
8206-01
Summary
Records of an office that promoted water conservation.
Repository
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions

Records are open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for processing this record series was provided through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

A public waterworks was created by City Charter amendment in 1875. However, Seattle was served primarily by small private water companies for the next decade-and-a-half. Following the Great Fire of 1889, citizens voted to fund creation of a municipally owned water system. The City purchased the private systems and began development of the Cedar River Watershed, and since 1891, has owned and operated a municipal water system. The system was administered by the Superintendent of Water under the auspices of the Board of Public Works. In 1905 the Department of Lighting and Water Works was created. Five years later, the Water Department became a separate entity. Most of the water used by the Seattle Water Department came from the Cedar River Watershed property, which also provided income for the department through the selling of logging rights. Several timber companies including Weyerhaeuser Company, Scott Paper Company and Pacific States Lumber Company, all had contracts with the Water Department. In the 1950s, Seattle voters chose to add fluoride to the city's water supply and charged the Water Department with the task of fluoridating. The election was a close one, however, and debate over the policy lasted into the '70s. In 1997 the Water Department was consolidated with the utilities of the Engineering Department to form Seattle Public Utilities.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Records of an office that promoted water conservation by residential customers and large consumers through public education, distribution of conservation kits and other means. Records include correspondence, brochures, conservation kit, and subject files.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[Item and date], Seattle Water Department Conservation Office Records , Record Series 8206-01. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

8206-01:  Water Department Conservation Office Records , 1978-1989Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
4th Annual Central Washington Irrigation Conference
1989
1/2
Conservation Kit Distribution
1983-1987
1/3
Conservation Kits
1981-1982
1/4
Conservation Promotions
1982
1/5
Coordination With Local Utilities
1988
1/6
Coordination With Staff
1988
1/7
Flow Metering Project (Residential)
1988
1/8
Freeze (Water Pipes)
1987-1988
1/9
Home Water Checkup
undated
1/10
Ideas File
1987
1/11
King Country Correctional Facility
1988
1/12
King County Water
1988-1989
1/13
Large User Call Back
1987-1988
1/14
Lawn Gauge Promotion
1988
1/15
News Articles
1988-1989
1/16
Ordinances - Drought
1978-1987
1/17
Parks Department
1988
1/18
Presentations
1987-1988
2/1
Presentations
undated
2/2
Public Education Specialist
1988
2/3
Puget Power
undated
2/4
Rates
1984
2/5
Rates
1986-1989
2/6
Stream Flow Statistics
1986

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Water conservation--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Water utilities--Washington (State)--Seattle

Corporate Names

  • Seattle (Wash.) Water Dept.

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)