Seattle Municipal Archives
PO Box 94728
600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3
Seattle, WA 98124-4728
Phone: 206/233-7807
Email: archives@seattle.gov
http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives

Guide to the Seattle Water Department Annual Reports, 1894-1990


1802-J2





Finding aid prepared by Anne Frantilla

Finding aid encoded by Shannon B. Lynch, 2004
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection
 
Repository Name:
 

Seattle Municipal Archives

PO Box 94728
600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3
Seattle, WA 98124-4728
Phone: 206/233-7807
Email: archives@seattle.gov
http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives
 
Collection Number:
 

1802-J2
 
Creator:
 

Seattle (Wash.). City Clerk
 
Title:
 

Water Department Annual Reports
 
Dates:
 

1894-1990 (inclusive)
 
Quantity:
 

1.2 cubic ft.
3 boxes
 
Languages:
 

Collection materials are in English. 

 
Summary:
 

Annual reports of the Seattle Water Department, including statistics and maps.

 

Historical Note

A public waterworks was created by Charter Amendment in 1875. Seattle has owned and operated a municipal water system since 1891, when it purchased private local water companies and began development of the Cedar River Watershed. The system was administered by the Superintendent of Water under the auspices of the Board of Public Works until 1905, when the Department of Lighting and Water Works was created. In 1910, the Water Department became a separate entity. In 1997, the Water Department was absorbed into Seattle Public Utilities.

Content Description

The annual reports date from 1894 to 1990. Reports for the Department of Lighting and Water are included in this series until 1910. Water supply issues are mentioned frequently in early reports. Detailed budgets are provided with construction costs for reservoirs and pipelines given. Early reports include statistics on pumping stations and reservoirs. Maps appear primarily in the 1910s and 1920s reports and are mostly of the watershed and water disctricts within the City. Beginning in 1922, reports include maps, photographs, and an index to exhibits. The exhibits, which comprise the bulk of the reports by the late 1920s, primarily detail the budget, detailing costs and expenses, such as numbers of taps and meters installed, water rates, and listing who received free water service. Between 1930 and 1959, reports are published every year. Reports of the Forester for the CRWS are included for some years in the 1930s and 1940s. Beginning in the late 1960s, statistical information is published separately in an Annual Report Supplement.

Arrangement

Annual reports are arranged chronologically by year.

Administrative Information

Custodial History 

Records were originally filed with the City Clerk in the Comptroller/Clerk's Files (CFs) and were removed to create this record series.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

Records are open to the public.

Preferred Citation 

[Item and date], Seattle Water Department Annual Reports, Record Series 1802-J2. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

 
Seattle (Wash.)--Politics and government
Electric utilities--Washington (State)--Seattle
Water utilities--Washington (State)--Seattle
Annual reports
Other Creators :
Seattle (Wash.). Dept. of Lighting and Water Works
Seattle (Wash.). Water Dept.

Detailed Description of the Collection

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


 

Seattle Water Department Annual Reports, 1894-1990
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box/folder
1/1

Water Department Annual Report
   1894
 
1/2

Water Department Annual Report
   1895
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1896
 
1/3

Light and Water Annual Report
   1900
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1901
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1903
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1905
 
1/4

Lighting and Power Plant Annual Report
   1906
 


Light and Water (Biennial) Annual Report
   1908-1909
 


Light and Water Annual Report
   1908
 


Light and Water Annual Report
   1909
 
1/5

Water Department Annual Report
   1910
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1913
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1913
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1914
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1915
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1916
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1917
 
1/6

Water Department Annual Report
   1918
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1919
 


Water Department Annual Report, Accounting Division
   1920
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1921
 
1/7

Water Department Annual Report
   1922
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1923
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1923
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1925
 
1/8

Water Department Annual Report
   1928
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1929
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1930
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1931
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1932
 
1/9

Water Department Annual Report
   1933
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1934
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1935
 
1/8

Water Department Annual Report
   1936
 
1/10

Water Department Annual Report
   1937
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1938
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1939
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1940
 
2/1

Water Department Annual Report
   1941
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1942
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1943
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1944
 
2/2

Water Department Annual Report
   1945
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1946
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1947
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1948
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1949
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1950
 
2/3

Water Department Annual Report
   1951
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1952
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1953
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1954
 


Water Department Annual Report (Comparative Statement)
   1954
 
2/4

Water Department Annual Report
   1955
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1956
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1957
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1958
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1959
 
2/5

Water Department Annual Report
   1960
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1961
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1962
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1963
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1964
 
2/6

Water Department Annual Report
   1965
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1966
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1967
 


Water Department Annual Report (Supplemental)
   1968
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1968
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1968
 
2/7

Water Department Annual Report
   1969
 


Water Department Annual Report (includes Supplement)
   1969
 


Water Department Annual Report (2 parts)
   1970
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1970
 
2/8

Water Department Annual Report (2 parts)
   1971
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1971
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1972
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1972
 
3/1

Water Department Annual Report (2 parts)
   1973
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1973
 


Water Department Annual Report (Supplement)
   1974
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1974
 
3/2

Water Department Annual Report (2 parts)
   1975
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1976
 


Water Department Annual Report (2 parts)
   1977
 
3/3

Water Department Annual Report (2 parts)
   1978
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1978
 


Water Department Annual Report (2 parts)
   1979
 


Water Department Annual Report (2 parts)
   1980
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1980
 
3/4

Water Department Annual Report
   1981
 


Water Department Annual Report (2 parts)
   1981
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1982
 


Water Department Annual Report (includes Supplement)
   1982
 
3/5

Water Department Annual Report
   1983
 


Water Department Annual Report (includes Supplement)
   1983
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1984
 
3/6

Water Department Annual Report (3 parts)
   1985
 
3/7

Water Department Annual Report
   1986
 


Water Department Annual Report (includes Supplement)
   1986
 


Water Department Annual Report (3 parts including Supplement)
   1987
 


Water Department Annual Report (2 parts)
   1988
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1989
 


Water Department Annual Report
   1990