The Troy Record from Troy, New York • Page 41

Troy Water Supply Started In 00 a oe At Hie beginning of the 1800s, Troy was slill a village and was supplied with water by flic Aqueduct Water Works, through wooden from a spring on the west slope of Ida in the area east of Liberty Street. Prior to Hie War of 1812 the Aqueduct Water Works was acquired iy the a Conduit Co. of Troy. The Legislature on June 1C, 1812. passed an act to inconwrate the new company, and on April 13, 18M.

ttie company was permitted to use east-iron pipes which were beintj a a in Salisbury, Conn. The art incorporating the Trny Water Works was passed by the New York Stale Legislature on April 13. 1823, and the stock was nnl to exceed $250.000. This company did little or nothing towards establishing a municipal water works system. April 23.

1830. tile Troy Common Council appointed a committee to study the feasibility of i a a i a municipal water supply. William Roberts made a study for the committee which recommended (hut water be obtained from Gorton Springs nr the Piscawan Kill Creefc. At the same meeting Hie Cily Conncil appointed a i to negotiate wild the Troy Water- Works Co. for the purchase of the company.

On March 26, 1832, the of the water company were transferred to the Cily lor the sum of $174.34, this amount being the aclual expenditures of the company to dale. A committee of the Common Council was appointed fo manage the City Water Works. First Act The first official act of the committee in 1832 was to make a study of the 12.000 i a i a erf the city, to determine the number of possible consumers Before proceeding with the construction of a public water supply. The results of the house- to house canvass showed 627 were in favor, 18 indifferent and 8 opposed. fn 1833, the Cily entered into contract lor the construction of three reservoirs on the Pis- css-an Kill Creek, the stream running through what is now known Frear Park.

The construction of the one covered and two open reservoirs located just east ot the Boston and Maine Railroad tracks in Eddy's Lane and the 12-inch I'ineliue was completed in 1834. The storage capacity of the three reservoirs was one million gal- fmis. fn 1838 it became apparent ttiat it was necessary to aug- ment the exisline supply. The committee made a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a new reservoir or i from the Hudson River. The outcome was that a reservoir known as the "Fire Dam" was constructed west of Oakwood Avenue east of the three reservoirs.

In spile the construction of the HCIV reservoir in J839, it was necessary in 1810 to build another reservoir about two miles north of the city on the Pisca- wan Kill known the Brunswick Reservoir. In 1857 and 1858 a 20-in. main was laid in 8th Street to supplement distribution capacity within the By 1875 the 20-in, main had been completed south to Federal Street; westerly along Federal Street to 4th Street and south as far as Madison Street; reducing to 16-in. and continuing to Main Street. By 1860 it became neccssarv to build the lower Oakwood Reservoir, and in 18S1 a pump was installed to pump from the Hudson River.

Shortages continued, and in 1862 it was necessary to supplement the supply from the Hudson River using fire pump ers. River Water Periodic shortages of water eventually required pumping from the Hudson River in 1862 and a fire destroying a major portion of the city on May 10, 1863 pointed out the need for additional storage and distribution capacity. In 1863 the upper Oakwood Reservoir' was con-, structed in the Frear Park area. By isee it was decided to purchase another Permanent type steam pump, which was installed in 1870. By three steam pumps were in service for use during supply shortages.

In 1868 the Vanderheyden Reservoir was added just west the Brunswick Reservoir. The total amount of storage after the construction of the new reservoirs was about 400 million AN AIR PHOTO Die large ite Trey's water plant which was completed in IStt. serrw not wily Trey, hnt Menands, Kensselaer and a portion East Greenbask. The mWera plant Is kKated north the cKy. gallons.

Water from the reservoirs was transported through open streams to the distribution reservoir east of the railroad tracks, where it entered the 20- in. main to the distribution system. la 1872 William j. McAlptne submitted a report in which additional supplies from Tomhan- noek Creek, Poestcn. Kill, Deep Kill and the Hudson River were considered.

No significant action was taken on McAlpine's proposals until 1877, when a report was submitted to the Commissioners by D. M. Greene for obtaining an increased supply of water from the Hudson River and pumping this water to the lower Oakwood Reservoir. (Jreene also proposed a new leservoir on Piscawan Kill to supply the higher portions of the city. This was constructed just west ot Lake Avenue near the entrance of Frear'Park in 1879.

A 20-in. transmission a i from the new reservoir was constructed through Frear Park and a Burdett Avenue, Brunswick Avenue and Pawling Avenue crealing a "high service." A new 3O-in. transmission main was constructed from THIS THE CWiTROI. ROOM the Water Treat mt. ft.

City the Urea. Water out the Utilities, the B.rea. is the department and is sis ted is the aiMe-ance i.e s.Uo.s Water a-dihT rf br JA. the new pumping station at 123rd Street through Lansingburgh to the lower Oakwood Reservoir. During the same period, the upper Oakwood Reservoir was connected to the Troy distribution system by new mains -jn Oakwood Avenue, 8th Street soulh of Federal Street, and Congress Street, crealing the middle service.

The High Reservoir, west of Lake Avenue, and the upper Oakwood Reservoir both obtained I their supply from the Piscawan Kill. The low service was fed from the lower Oakwood Reservoir obtaining its supply from the pumping station at 123rd Street at the Hudson River. Construction of the pumping station was completed in 1880. In 1883 the "Fire Dam" wtst ot Oakwood Avenue was abandoned and. a new reservoir known as the "Lower Oakwood Distributing Reservoir" a constructed on the same site.

A 24-iu. main connected the new reservoir to the 20-in. main constructed in 1857. It was at this lime that the three original reservoirs on the Piscawan Kill were abandoned, fn 1885 a second 2-1-in. main was constructed from the lower Oikwood Distributing Reservoir and connected fo the distribution system at i Street.

The supply developed proved to be adequate until 1892 Raymond was authorized to make a study and submit a report. In June, 1897, Mr. Raymond presented his second study recommending that Quacken Kill be developed and used to supple water to the high and middle service areas. He also recommended Tomhannock Creek be developed a supply to the low service area. Again, no immediate action was taken.

In 1899, (he existing supply was found fo be inadequate and Ihe Hudson River water unfit for a consumption. Annexation In Between 1883 and 1900 the Village of Lansingburgh had developed ifs own water supnlv In 1900 the Lansingburgh supply was located in the northeast section of the Village (he Miami Beach area and consisted of three reservoirs known as the Lansingburgh Storage Interceptor a ad Distributor' Reservoirs respectively. The capacity of these reservoirs was about 60.6 million gallons. A 12-in. main located in Northern Drive connected the distributor reservoir to the distribution mains in Lansingburgh.

Immediately prior to the annexation of Laasingburgh to the City of Troy in 1901 work of developing Deep Kill was inaugurated by the Village of Lansingbursh. At the time the village became part ot Troy a 12-in. pipeline from the Deep Kill to Lansingburgh intercepting reservoir was nearly completed the dam on Deep Kill was about half finished. Because of faulty design on geological investigations, the Deep Kill dam was never completed to the height originally proposed. Construction of the Quacken Kill and Tomhanoock supplies was started in 1900.

The Quacken Kill supply, with a 16 m. and 12-in. transmission main Irom Vanderheyden Reservoir was connected to the 20-in main serving the High Service Distributing Beservoir west of Lake Avenue and the reservoir was abandoned. In 1906 construction completed on the Tomhannock project. From Fear Pm4s The diverting dam at Quacken Kill was initially supplied from four ponds located in the Town of Grafton, namely Long Pond Second Pond, Mill Poncl and bhaver Pond.

Dams and spillways were built at each pont with valved outlet pipes. When required, the valves were opened and water was allowed to flow down the Quacken Kill lo the diverting dam where it was transported to Ihe Brunswick Reservoir through a main. After Ihe High Service Distributing Reservoir was abandoned and supply to the high service taken direcllv from Vanderheyden Reservoir, it was pos(Continued an Page). REMODELING PAINTING--INT. (, EXT H.UM1ING HEATING ELECTRICAL WIRING ROOFS KITCHENS I PORCHES Free Estimates On All Tvpes of.

Contracting 235-7675 2354395.