Stevens Point Journal du lieu suivant : Stevens Point, Wisconsin • Page 25

Stevens Point Daily Journal ch LARGEST CIRCULATION IN THIS TRADING AREA NEWS AND TV GUIDE Bye- old wells By GEORGE ROGERS So pleased were the civic boosters with what came out of the tap that they invented a new community slogan: "The City of Wonderful Water." They used it everywhere, even on spare tire covers on the back ends of roadsters. But the wells that produced the liquid that made Stevens Point famous have gone into retirement. No more do big pumps in picturesque stone buildings send clear, cold and somewhat overrated water pulsing through the mains to the farthest reaches of our community. In reality, they haven't for 10 years, not since a new well field with better quality water was developed at the Municipal Airport and the old wells in Iverson Park went into almost complete disuse. Now the pumps and motors at the old wells have been sold and are expected to end up in farm irrigation systems.

It was in 1923 that the first well in Iverson Park began producing water. Small wonder that the citizenry was enthused, considering what they had to drink before. Stevens Point's. water utility had been founded in 1887 as a private company. Many people think the utility pumped water straight out of the Wisconsin River, which is not correct, though close.

Actually, the water came from a well next to the river in what is now Bukolt Park, said Ray Dehlinger, who joined the Water Department in 1934 and was its superintendent for many years. However, claims that little aquatic creatures sometimes came out of the faucet may not have been entirely unfounded. When there was a fire and more water was needed fast, said Dehlinger, it was pumped directly from the river, and "that's when they got the polliwogs." So when the city bought out the private company. in 1922 and began pumping in Iverson Park the following year, local people thought they were drinking nectar. "It really wasn't that good, but it was so much better than what they had," said Dehlinger.

The new water supply contained no live animals but it was high in iron and manganese, which collected in the mains. The deposits had to be flushed out regularly, and sometimes you'd get a slug of black water when you opened the tap during the flushing operation. This was harmless to health. However, the location of the wells next to Highway 10 made them vulnerable to pollution if, say, a petroleum truck overturned. Also, wells No.

2 and 3 were close to the Plover River and, when they were pumped hard, they sucked in water from the river. You could tell it by the higher temperature. This was a potential health hazard. While there was no evidence anyone ever got sick from it, the state eventually made the city start chlorinating the water a blow to the pride of those who felt Stevens Point water was the last word in purity. Compared with many other cities' water, it really was pretty good.

It's just that the water from the airport wells is better. The Water Department started out with one well back in 1923. It added another in 1930 and a third one in 1937. The pump in No. 1 was replaced in 1936 and a new one was put in at well No.

2 in 1948. A fourth well was installed on the north side of Highway 10 in 1961. Like 1, 2 and 3, its water is high in iron and manganese and its capacity is not great; it is still operable but is used only when the demand for water is high. A fifth well on the east bluff off the Plover River, near the former Girl Scout lodge, went into service in 1967. It produces good quality water and gets fairly frequent use in the summer.

(See Wells page 2) 1887 R. BULLOCK. THE W. S. MERCER.

POINT 1 BUILT BY WATER SAMUEL R. BULLOCK C9. Co 11 WALL STREET NEW YORK. JOHN HOLMES W. H.

FRITCHMAN CHIEF ENGINEER. SUPT. OF CONSTRUCTION. GEORDE GEE, Stevene Pelut Hie. REMOVED FROM OLD WISCONSIN RIVER STEAM PUMPING STATION, DISMANTLED 1924 Plaques in the No.

1 pumping station in Iverson Park of the Stevens Point Water Department. The one at pumping station in Bukolt Park when the water utility one at right marks the switch to a publicly owned supply from the Plover River basin. (Staff photos) Lloyd Murray, assistant administrator of the Stevens Point Water Department, checks the pumping equipment in station No. 1 at Iverson Park. STEVENS-POINT-WISCONSIN1 MUNICIPAL-WATER-SUPPLY-STATION ERECTED A.D.

1922 UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE FIRST BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS. E.B. ROBERTSON, PRESIDENT, J.A.WORZALLA, SECRETARY, C.E.VAN BRUCE, W. F. OWEN CHARLES L.

PILL BURY CO. ENGINEERS MINNEAPOLIS AND SAINT PAUL THE LARGEST KNOWN UNDERGROUND SUPPLY OF SOFT WATER tells something of the history left used to be in the old was privately owned. The utility which drew its water.