Documentary History of American Water-works

Beaver Falls

Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania

Beaver Falls was settled in 1730.

The Beaver Falls Water Company was incorporated in 1820, but was formed to own and manage the water power at Beaver Falls and not to distribute water.

Another Beaver Falls Water Company was incorporated in 1870 with John Reeves, H. F. Reeves, R. T. Hermon, G. W. Morrison, Robert Duncan, Samuel Mason, --- Fessenden, Henry M. Myers and Simon Harrold appointed as commissioners to sell stock. They constructed a system in 1875 using a Holly pumping engine driven by water to fill an elevated reservoir.

The Union Water Company acquired the Beaver Falls Water Company in 1890. The Beaver Valley Water Company was incorporated in 1902 by combining seven water companies in and near Beaver Falls.

The Beaver Valley Water Company was purchased by Consumers Water Company in 1926.

The Beaver Falls Municipal Authority was incorporated on July 3, 1940 and purchased the Beaver Valley Water company on September 1, 1940 for $4.3 million.

Water is provided by the Beaver Falls Municipal Authority.

References
1820 An act to revive the act incorporating the borough of Greencastle, in the county of Franklin, and to incorporate the town of Greersburg, and the Beaver Falls Water Company, in the county of Beaver, and for other purposes. March 28, 1820

1870 An act to incorporate the Beaver Falls Water Company, April 2, 1870

1881 Beaver Falls, from Engineering News, 8:394 (October 1, 1881)

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

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

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

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

1983 Centre Daily Times, July 22, 1983, Page A-7
Fatal Explosion: Firemen carry a person injured in an explosion at a Beaver Falls Municipal water treatment plant to an ambulance. Authorities say they had no explanation for the blast that destroyed the plant, killed two workers and released toxic fumes that injured eight firefighters. One of the dead, the plant superintendent, was pinned for about an hour beneath steel girders and broken concrete.