Documentary History of American Water-works

Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

Lowell was first settled in 1653.

Lowell's search for a water supply began in 1838, when it engaged Boston engineer George Minot Dexter to report on available water supplies (see January 1873 reference).

Several mills in Lowell has built their own fire protection systems, and in 1849 they were interconnected and supplied from a common reservoir.

The City of Lowell was authorized to build water works in 1855, but did not start construction until 1870 and the system began service in 1873 using water pumped into a reservoir.

The City of Lowell formed the Lowell Regional Water Utility on July 11, 1989 to take over the functions of the Lowell Water Department.

Water is provided by the Lowell Regional Water Utility.

References
1855 An act for supplying the City of Lowell with Water. May 21, 1855.

1865 "On the means adopted in the factories at Lowell, Massachusetts, for extinguishing fire," by James B. Francis, Journal of the Franklin Institute 79(4): 268-275 (April, 1865)

1866 An act in addition to an act for supplying the city of Lowell with pure water. April 30, 1866.

1869 An act in addition to "An act for supplying the City of Lowell with Water." June 4, 1869.

1869 Report of a Joint Special Committee on a Supply of Water for the City of Lowell, September, 1869.

1873 Third Annual Report of the Water Commissioners of the City of Lowell, January 1st, 1873.
Pages 4-9: Early history of water works, 1838 to 1869.

1873 Lowell Daily Citizen and News, February 5, 1873, Page 2.
Lowell Water Works. Special Notice to Water Takers. Water having been let into all service pipes that are ready, charges for the same will commence from the first of Feb'y, 1873.

1874 First Annual Report of The Water Board of the City of Lowell, January 1, 1874.

1876 "The engine for the Lowell water works, constructed for the City of Lowell, Mass., 1871–1872," by J.P. Davis, C.E., Journal of the Franklin Institute 101(5):329-335 (May 1876)

1877 The Lowell Water Works, by Joseph P. Gray

1881 Lowell, from Engineering News 8:234 (June 11, 1881)

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

1886 Seventh Annual Report of the State Board of Health, Lunacy, and Charity of Massachusetts
Page 250: Lowell water works.

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

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

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

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

1916 "New Filtration Plant Competed," Municipal Journal, 40(3):83 (January 16, 1916)

1991 Nature Incorporated: Industrialization and the Waters of New England, by Theodore Steinberg

Lowell City Water Works Collection held by the University of Massachusetts Lowell