Documentary History of American Water-works

Fall River, Massachusetts

Fall River was incorporated as a town in 1803 and as a city in 1854.

The city built water works that began service in early 1874 by pumping water using steam power into two standpipes.

A water tank was built on Townsend Hill in 1886 that was 73 feet in diameter and 37 feet in height, with a capacity of 1,161,448 gallons.  A second tank was built in 1892 at Bedford Street, with a diameter of 65 feet, height of 56 feet and a capacity of 1,389,976 gallons.  These greatly improved the operation of the system compared with the older standpipes.

Water is provided by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and distributed by the City of Fall River  

References
1871 An act for supplying the city of Fall River with Pure Water.  March 24, 1871.

1874 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council.  January 1, 1875. | also here |
History of the Works, and Operations of the Water Commissioners and of the Watuppa Water Board, previous to Jan. 1, 1875.

1875 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1875.

1876 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1876.

1877 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1877.

1878 "Fall River, Mass," Engineering News 5:180-181 (June 6, 1878) | 5:188 (June 13, 1878) | 5:211-212 ( July 4, 1878) | 5:219 (July 11, 1878) | 5:229-230 (July 18, 1878) | 5:243-244 (August 1, 1878) |

1878 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1878.

1879 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1879.

1880 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1880.

1881 Fall River, from Engineering News 8:264  (July 2, 1881)

1881 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1881.

1882 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1882.

1882 Fall River, from "The Water-Supply of Certain Cities and Towns of the United States," by Walter G. Elliot, C. E., Ph. D.

1883 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1883.

1884 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1884.

1885 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1885.

1886 "Fall River Water Works Chimney," Engineering News 16:118 (August 21, 1886).  Struck by lightning on August 24, 1885.

1886 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1886.

1887 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1887.

1888 "Fall River," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.

1888 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1888.

1890 "Fall River," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.

1889 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1889.

1890 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1890.

1891 "Fall River," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.

1891 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1891.

1892 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1892.

1893 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1893.

1894 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1894.

1895 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1895.

1896 Report of special committee of the city government of Fall River, on the introduction of a supply of pure water.  Reprint of 1870 report of special committee and William J. McAlpine's 1871 report.

1896 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1896.

1897 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1897.

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

1898 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1898.

1899 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1899.

1900 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1900.

1901 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1901.

1902 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1902.

1903 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1903.

1904 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1904.

1905 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1905.

1906 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1906

1907 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1907

1908 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1908.

1909 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1909.

1910 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1910.

1911 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1911

1912 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1912.

1913 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1913.

1914 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1914.

1915 Report to the City Council, together with the report of Fay, Spofford and Thorndike, consulting engineers, Sept. 1915.

1915 "Fall River's Proposed Water Supply System," Scientific American 113(17):353, 366-367 (October 23, 1915)

1915 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1915.

1916 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1916.

1917 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1917.

1918 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1918.

1919 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1919.

1920 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1920.

1921 Fall River Water Works.  Report of the Watuppa Water Board to the City Council for the year 1921.

© 2018 Morris A. Pierce