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| Middle Atlantic States | Pennsylvania | Media |
Media in Delaware County was settled in 1681 and incorporated as a borough in 1850.
The borough of Media was authorized to built water works in 1854 and had a small system operating in 1855. The system was greatly expanded in 1870 and again in 1898.
The system was sold to the Philadelphia Suburban Water Company in May, 1995. The Philadelphia Suburban Water Company merged into the Pennsylvania Suburban Water Company in 2002, and two years later the name was changed Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc.
Water service is provided by Aqua Pennsylvania.
References
1854 An act to authorize the Burgess and Town
Council of the Borough of Media to erect Water Works, et cetera.
April 6, 1854.
1857 A supplement to an act to authorize the Burgess and Town Council of the Borough of Media to erect Water Works, approved the sixth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-four. March 31, 1857.
1867 An act to authorize tho borough of Media, in the county of Delaware, to borrow money for the purpose of supplying said borough with water. April 10, 1867.
1867 Birkinbine's Report of 1867 of the Capacity of Palmer's Water Power for Supplying the Borough of Media with water. From the Media Historic Archives Commission collection, thanks to Adam Levine for providing this.
1872 An act to prevent the water of Ridley creek, above the Media water works, from being polluted. March 7, 1872.
1872 An act authorizing the borough of Media to raise the dam on Ridley creek, intended to supply the said borough with water. March 18, 1872.
1882 Media, from Engineering News, 9:444 (December 30, 1882)
1882 Media, from "The Water-Supply of Certain Cities and Towns of the United States," by Walter G. Elliot, C. E., Ph. D.
1882 Acts
of Assembly Relating to the Borough of Media, Delaware County, Penna:
And Ordinances of Said Borough
Page 49: Water rates.
1888 "Media," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 1.
1890 "Media," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.
1891 "Media," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.
1897 "Media," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.
1914 A
History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and Its People,
Volume 1, by John Woolf Jordan
Page 303: With the era of better streets, the borough council also began
taking steps to secure a sufficient supply of pure water. This work was
first taken under consideration in 1853, resulting in the completion of a
small system of water works in 1855. Extensions and improvements were made
until 1871, when the Palmer Mill property on Ridley creek was purchased
and a contract made with the Philadelphia Hydraulic Works Company for the
erection of pumps, and a system of modern supply inaugurated. In addition
to the new water works system begun in 1898 and finished in 1899 a
twelve-inch pumping main was laid for a distance of two thousand feet
connecting with other mains leading to the reservoir and stand pipe, which
are located at the highest point in the town. A modern system of
filtration is employed, and the highest authorities declare the purity of
the water unsurpassed by the supply of any other municipality. So well
known is the purity and quality of the water that Wallingford secured the
passage of a legislation act enabling Media to supply that section with
water, which has been done for the past twentyeight years. Another main
from the Media water works supplies South Media, Moylan and Rose Valley,
also on the State road in Upper Providence township, a supply is furnished
the residents. January 1, 1911, twenty-four acres belonging to the Lewis
estate were purchased by the borough, thus insuring more perfect
protection from contamination and providing a place for the erection of a
modern setting basin in the future. In 1901, the borough council installed
at the pumping station a modern municipal electric lighting plant, which
furnishes energy for the illumination of the streets and public buildings
of the borough.
1995 "Phila.
Suburban deal done," The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 24,
1995, Page 25.
Philadelphia Suburban Corp., Bryn Mawr, completed the purchase of the
Media borough water system for $25 million. The purchase will add
13,500 customers to Philadelphia Suburban Co.'s 250,000-customer system.
© 2017 Morris A. Pierce