Documentary History of American Water-works

Saulsalito

Sausalito, California

Sausalito is a city in Marin County, in which the first Spanish settlement was established in 1817.

The first water system was built in 1850 by Captain William A. Richardson, who piped water from springs above the town to a great cistern, from which it was piped to the boat "The Water Nixie," which took it to San Francisco where it was distributed by water carts. The water from these springs was also distributed within Sausalito, and after Richardson died the Sausalito Land and Ferry Company bought his property and water works in 1869 and by 1891 was serving much of the community.

Sausalito Bay Water Company was incorporated in 1887 and built a system that was bought by the Sausalito Spring Water Company in 1905.

The city of Sausalito built its own water works in 1909 and in 1912 voted to join the new Marin Municipal Water District, which was incorporated on April 25, 1912.

Water is provided by the Marin Municipal Water District, which has a history page and a historical timeline.

References
1869 Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Sausalito Land and Ferry Company
Page 4: Building flumes, aqueducts, dams, reservoirs and other works and structures appropriate to the supply and distribution of water.

1887 "Sausalito Bay Water Company," Daily Alta California, September 7, 1887, Page 2.

1890 "Picturesque Sausalito," Sausalito News, September 12, 1890, Page 2.
Sausalito Land and Ferry Company - While this company has made many improvements, the most noteworthy is the system of water works which supplies the entire city. Fully $75,000 was spent in the enterprise, and as a result an unfailing supply of excellent water has been obtained, the capacity being 120,000 in every twenty-four hours.

1891 "Improvements Going on Around the Shores of Marin County," Sausalito News, January 30, 1891, Page 3.
The water works of the Sausalito Land and Ferry Company are now completed and in good order, and can supply all the water needed.

1897 "Sausalito," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.

1905 "Sausalito to have New Water Company," San Francisco Call, December 5, 1905, Page 6.

1907 "Sausalito Municipal Water Committee Organized," Sausalito News, October 19, 1907, Page 3.

1909 "Notice to Contractors. Sausalito Municipal Water System," Sausalito News, March 20, 1909, Page 3.

1913 "Exhaustive Report by Engineer Baker," Marin Journal, May 22, 1913, Pages 1 & 2
Sausalito Municipal Plant $124,613.
Sausalito Land and Ferry Company $17,423
Sausalito Spring Water Company $7,610

1935 "Sausalito's Early Water Supply for San Francisco Made History Record," Sausalito News, February 8, 1935, Page 3.

2012 Mount Tamalpais and the Marin Municipal Water District, by MMWD Director Jack Gibson. | index |