SigMT

MEMORY LANE L. G. Phelps who became a large stock holder bought out the other stockholders in 1893 and operated the water system for five years. During ownership, he spent a large amount of money to make improvements. By 1898, when 349 services were paying for piped-in water, a special city election passed a $375,000-bond issuance so the City could purchase the water system from the Great Falls Water Company. is bold move, made by Mayor R . J. Fitzgerald, was a good investment for Great Falls. Myers went back east and was able to sell the bonds to N. W. Harris with the understanding that his company would send their engineer, Mr. Cole, to lay out the water plant and build the system. Cast iron pipe was ordered as a preliminary step. When Cole made his first trip to Great Falls, he and Myers selected the spot for the water intake plant south of Myers' saw mill, on the lower side of Prospect Point next to the Missouri River. Aer the pipe was delivered, Mr. Cole returned to build the system that would distribute water from the Missouri River to people's homes. e water was turned on to 172 services in August 1889. e system cost $85,000, and the remainder of the $150,000 was utilized during the next two years for extensions and improvements. e system consisted of one steam-driven pump capable of 2 million gallons per day and 9 miles of pipe. Customers of the water system went to the Murphy-McClay Hardware Store to pay their monthly water bill. We take it for granted that our water system is owned by the city, but other cities have now or have previously had privately owned water systems. In 2017 the City of Missoula paid 95 million dollars to buy a run-down water system from a private company that had failed to continually invest and upgrade the system. In Great Falls, prior to 1910, steam-driven, high-service pumps delivered water to the distribution system. Between 1910 and 1913 electric motor driven centrifugal pumps with an eight-million- gallon-a-day capacity were installed, and the steam pumps were abandoned. ree years later additional pumps that are still being used today were installed. In 1913 the raw city water emied a pronounced vegetable taste and a strong odor. is condition brought about enough clamor that building a water purification plant was supported by city residents. Photo by Suzanne Waring SiG MT 44 1918 Water Bond A 900 hp high-service pump that sends eighteen-million gallons of water a day throughout the distribution system. Low-service pumps that pump river water up the hill to the filter building.

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