Documentary History of American Water-works

Community Water Service Company

The Community Service Company was incorporated in Delaware on July 24, 1925 and changed its name to the Community Water Service Company on June 10, 1926. The company began by buying the New Jersey Water Service Company in June, 1925, followed by its merger with the Stockton Water Company in August to form the New Jersey Water Company. By June 1926, the company also owned all of the common stock of the Peoria Water Works Company, and Citizens Water Company of Washington, Pa., and also owned a substantial interest in the St. Louis County Water Company and the Rochester & Lake Ontario Water Company. The company resulted from the work of P. W. Chapman & Co., Inc., headed by Paul Wadsworth Chapman.

In 1936 the company controlled over 40 water companies with revenues of approximately $7 million and 194,203 water customers.

The American Water Works and Electric Company in partnership with Chemical Bank & Trust Company of New York formed the American Communities Company to acquire control of the Community Water Service Company in March, 1936.

References
1922 Moody's Public Utility Investments
Page 1183: New Jersey Water Service Co.: Incorporated May 13, 1913, consolidation of the Haddonfield Water Co., United Water Co., and Campden County Water Supply Co.

1925 "New York Man Buys N.J. Water Company," The Morning Post (Camden, New Jersey), June 22, 1925, Page 3.
A.W. Chapman Brokers Acquire Control of Haddon Heights Plant. The New Jersey Water Services Company is under new management.

1925 "Two Water Plants Sold to Syndicate," The Morning Post (Camden, New Jersey), August 21, 1925, Page 1.
Stockton and New Jersey Companies Taken by New Concern. The new corporation will be known as the New Jersey Water Company.

1926 "Community Water Service Company," Commercial and Financial Chronicle 122:3604 (June 26, 1926)
Data from Letter of George B. Blanchard, Vice-Pres. of Company.
Company.-Owns all or substantial amounts of the common stocks of companies supplying directly or indirectly 63 communities with water for domestic and industrial purposes. The territory served includes important cities in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania. Illinois and Missouri, and comprises a population estimated in excess of 268,000.
Company owns all of the common stock, except directors' qualify in shares, of the Peoria Water Works Co., which supplies water without competition to Peoria, Ill., and important suburbs, and the New Jersey Water Co., which supplies territory in and around Camden, N. J. Company also owns substantial interests in the St. Louis County Water Co., supplying important suburban territory of St. Louis, Mo.; the Rochester & Lake Ontario Water Co. supplying practically the entire suburban territory of Rochester, N. Y.; and will own in excess of 95% of the capital stock of the Citizens' Water Co. of Washington, Pa., supplying Washington, Pa., and surrounding territory.

1926 "Community Water Service Company," Commercial and Financial Chronicle 123:323 (July 17, 1926)

1927 "Williamsport Company Now in New Hands," The Wilkes-Barre Record, July 28, 1927, Page 28.

1928 "Community Water Service," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 14, 1928, Page 28.
Community Water Service Company has acquired the Marion Water Company, Marion, O., and the Ohio Cities Water Company, Tiffin, O.

1928 "Charters Filed at State House," The Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware), July 21, 1928, Page 12.
Dover, July 20. Ohio Cities Water Corporation.

1930 Community Water Service Company

1936 "Sale of firm confirmed," The Cincinnati Enquirer, March 12, 1936, Page 19.
The Community company controls a group of water service companies operating in New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois. They include Peoria Water Works Company, Williamsport Water Company, Pennsylvania State Water Corporation, Ohio Cities Water Corporation, New Jersey Water Company, Bristol County Water Company, and the Lexington, Ky., Water Company.