Documentary History of American Water-works

Lewiston

Lewiston, New York

The Village of Lewiston was settled in 1720.

The Lewiston Aqueduct Company was incorporated in 1827 by Jacob Townsend, William Hotchkiss, Marcus Stickney, Joseph Hewell, Timothy Shaw, Calvin Hotchkiss, Isaac Colt "for the purpose of constructing an aqueduct, beginning at such place as they may designate, at or near a place called the Devil's Hole, on the Niagara river, and from thence on the most eligible route to such place as they may designate, at or near the main street in the village of Lewiston." No evidence has been found that this company built a system.

The Lewiston Water Works Company was incorporated in 1855 by Calvin Hotchkiss, Seymour Scovell, Lothrop Cooke, Nelson Cornell, Peter P. Barton "for the purpose of supplying the said village of£Lewiston with water, and also the farms north and east of said village with water." An 1855 charter amendment increased their capital stock from $50,000 to $500,000 and revised their purpose to "furnish water to the village of Lewiston for the purpose of extinguishing fires and, for other public conveniences." An 1858 amendment renewed the charter and increased the capital stock to one million dollars.

The Lewiston Water-Works Company was incorporated in 1874 by James Van Cleve, Joseph E. Ways, William Hotchkiss, Leander K. Scovell, Peter P. Barton, Arthur Gray, and George H. Tryon "For the purpose of supplying the said village of Lewiston with water, and also the farms north and east of the said village with water."

The Lewiston Water Supply Company was incorporated in 1888 by Henry Altman, Philo D. Beard, Thomas P. Ramsdell, Robert O. Fulton, Peter A. Porter, Albert G. Hatch and Wilbur E. Houpt to supply "pure and wholesome water to the village of Lewiston and the inhabitants thereof and to any other of the villages, towns, or cities which now are, or hereafter may be in the towns of Niagara and Lewiston in the county of Niagara and the inhabitants thereof, and the accumulating, conducting, storing, selling, leasing, furnishing and supplying water for fire, sanitary, municipal, domestic, commercial, manufacturing, or agricultural purposes."

No evidence has been found that any of the above companies built anything.

The Niagara County Irrigation and Water Supply Company was incorporated in 1891 John Fleming, Willard Hopkins, EugeDe Murphy, Eugene K. Sage, George P. Eddy, Galen Miller, Frederick W. Bartlett, Richard Armstrong, Thomas C. Robinette for the purposes of "construction and maintenance of a public water-way from a point in the Niagara river between the west bank of Cayuga creek and the east line of lot seventy-one of the Mile Reserve, so called, as may be most convenient, which water-way may be constructed as a canal, ditch or tunnel as shall be necessary and convenient for the proper operation thereof and the uses for which it is constructed. The supplying from said waterway and conduits, ditches, canals, tunnels and pipes leading therefrom of pure and wholesome water to the village of Lewiston and the inhabitants thereof, and to any other city or village now or hereafter located in the towns of Niagara, Lewiston or Porter in the county of Niagara, and the inhabitants thereof." This company actually commenced work on the canal in 1894, but did nothing else, although successor companies did attempt to revive the system later.

The Village of Lewiston received permission to install a water system in 1915, which was completed around 1917.

The Village of Lewiston received permission to buy water from the City of Niagara Falls water system in 1936 and used that source as late as 2002, which it joined the Niagara County Water District, which had been created on December 15, 1958.

Water is currently purchased from the Niagara County Water District and distributed by the Village of Lewiston. Water in the Town of Lewiston is provided by the Town of Lewiston and a number of water districts.

References
1827 An act to incorporate the Lewiston Aqueduct Company. April 16, 1827.

1851 An act to incorporate the Lewiston Water Works Company. June 30, 1851.

1855 An act to amend an act entitled "An act to incorproate the Lewiston Water Works Company," passed June 30, 1851. April 14, 1855.

1858 An act further to amend an act entitled "An act to incorporate the Lewiston Water Works Company," passed June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and fifty-one. April 17, 1858.

1874 An act to incorporate the Lewiston Water-Works Company. June 8, 1874.

1888 An act to incorporate the Lewiston Water Supply Company, in Niagara county, New York. June 9, 1888.

1891 An act to incorporate the Niagara County Irrigation and Water Supply Company. April 25, 1891.

1906 The Niagara County Irrigation and Water Supply Company v. College Heights Land Company of Niagara Falls, et al. 111 N.Y. 770, March 7, 1906.

1916 "In the matter of the Application of the Village of Lewiston, Niagara County, N. Y. to the Conservation Commission of the State of New York for the approval of its project and plans for the furnishing for a water supply system for said village." December 1, 1915 from Sixth Annual Report of the New York State Conservation Commission

1917 Seventh Annual Report of the New York State Conservation Commission
Page 205-207: In the Matter of the Application of the River Road Water District, No. 1 of the Town of Lewiston. March 17, 1917
It is proposed to obtain a supply of water for this district from the waterworks system of the village of Lewiston. Plans for that system were approved by this Commission December 1, 1915, and it is now nearly completed. Water for it is to be pumped from the Niagara river and purified by mechanical filtration and sterilization. In order to protect the inhabitants of Lewiston, this Commission has imposed drastic conditions as to the operation of this purification plant, and it has already found that the quality of the water in the pipes of the village of Lewiston will be suitable for drinking.
The system now being installed by the village of Lewiston is capable of supplying about 275,000 gallons per day, a much greater quantity of water than will be required by the 800 inhabitants of that village. Therefore the village can supply water to this water district without injury to the interests of the inhabitants of said village.

1936 In the Matter of the Application of the City of Niagara Falls, The Village of Lewiston, the Village of Youngstown, the River Road Water District of the Town of Lewiston, the Ridge Road Water District of the Town of Lewiston, the Lake Road Water District of the Town of Porter, the Ransomville Water District of the Town of Porter, et al, for Approval of Their Acquisition of a Source of Water Supply and of Their Financial and Engineering Plans for the Construction of a Water Supply System. Water Supply Application No. 1136. September 9, 1936. New York State Department Reports, Volume 55

1940 In the Matter of the Application of the City of Niagara Falls, The Village of Lewiston, the Village of Youngstown, the River Road Water District of the Town of Lewiston, the Ridge Road Water District of the Town of Lewiston, the Lake Road Water District of the Town of Porter, the Ransomville Water District of the Town of Porter, et al, for Approval of Their Acquisition of a Source of Water Supply and of Their Financial and Engineering Plans forthe Construction of a Water Supply System. Modifying Decision. Water Supply Application No. 1136. February 27, 1940. New York State Department Reports, Volume 62

1989 Village of Lewiston Local Waterfront Revitalization Program
Page II-39: Water Distribution/Supply Until the Spring of 1983, the entire Village of Lewiston received its potable water supply from two services the City of Niagara Falls and the Niagara County Water Authority. Due to supply and distribution difficulties experienced by the City, all potable water is now supplied by the County Water Authority. The Village's residential and commercial users consume an average of 360,000 gallons per day and public water is available to all residences and commercial establishments.
The Village of Lewiston owns and maintains all distribution lines within its corporate boundary. Supply and distribution has been adequate to meet demand. Water supplied to the Village is metered daily for hilling purposes and to monitor system loss. The area within the coastal zone is serviced by a complete distribution system (Figure 9). The system is generally adequate to support future development at prevalent densi¬ties. The Village performs routine line maintenance and replacement as required.