Name/Title
Waupun Public UtilitiesScope and Content
Historical information on Waupun Public Utilities for 1976 Bicentennial Celebration in Waupun, WI.
*Facts are typed and was scanned with mistakes, if any, left uncorrected.
WAUPUN PUBLIC UTILITIES
Eighty two years ago the city of Waupun passed an ordinance providing for the issuing of bonds for the construction, operation and management of a "WaterWorks."
The ordinance passed on Oct, 2, 1894, called for the issuance of 33 bonds of $1,000 each. In the election of Nov. 13, 1894, votes were cast as to whether the bonds should be issued and the ordinance ratified, There were 246 ayes and 150 nays cast of a total of 398 votes.
P. Carrington was the mayor and R. H. Oliver was the city clerk. The W. H. Wheeler company of Beloit received the construction bid and W. H. Gray & Bros. drilled the well. Joseph W. Oliver was appointed the supervising engineer in April, 1895.
Water rents were due and payable or the first day of July and January, in advance, to the city treasurer. Persons wishing to use city water had to sign a contract form provided by the city and specify exactly how it would be used.
The following per annum rates were established for the supply of water to consumers: banks, includes one wash basin, $5.00; bakeries, $7.50; barber shops, one chair, $7.50, and each additional chair $1.00; bathing houses, per tub, $5.00; bath tubs in barber shops, each $4.00.
A $5.00 fee was set for butcher shops, churches, cigar manufacture, club rooms, dental rooms, drug stores, and dwellings with five rooms or less for one famiy with one faucet, public halls, and stores.
Fountains, flowing not exceding 8 hours per day depending on the size of their jets ran from $2 - 45.00. Private bath tubs were $1.00 while photograph galleries were charged $10.00, Private stables, one horse and cow, or or two horses, washing carriages, were $3.00 and $1.00 for each additional horse.
The fee for saloons was $8.00, urinals, ran anywhere from $1.50 to $6.00. The first stationary basin in a private family was free, but each additional basin cost $1.00. Water closets varied from $1.00 per bowl in private homes, to $3.00 for public or hotel and $5.00 for workshops up to ten persons and $3.00 each additional person.
Special rates were set for warehouses, water motors or power for sewing machines, hotles, laundries, manufacturers and printing offices., All persons not satisfied with the schedule of rates had the privilege of putting in a.water meter at their own expense.
ELECTRIC LIGHT SYSTEM
On Aug. 7, 1899, six $1,000 bonds were issued for an electric light plant. Fifty meters were ordered and electric current was furnished from dark to daylight. In February of 1900, the electrical crew was instructed to wire council rooms, library, engine house and the lockup. In March 1900, the water and light fund were consolidated and in April a three man Board of Public works was established. They served without compensation to operate the water and light plant, and their duties were to bill customers and collect the bills to pay the City treasurer by the 20th of each month.
For years the responsibilities passed. back and forth between the Water Works and the Board of Public Works.
In June, 1900, the water was tested at the State University at a cost of $145.56, half borne by the city, and half by the Business Men's Association.
In Feb. 1901, a proposal passed where the electric current was furnished between 12:30 a.m, and 5 a.m. (Sundays excepted) upon the payment of $1.50 per hour in addition to the regular meter rate.
In March, 1908, it was decided that three arc lights from Warren's Livery to the National Hotel would burn all night. On March of 1912, Olaf Danielson took over all wiring from.the City.
SEWAGE SYSTEM
A sewage system was voted by the City on Dec. 3, 1912, by a vote 363 for and 11 against, and a committee was appointed. The sewer system and disposal plant was approved July 2, 1913. A storm sewer was authorized in Oct, l923 and the National Bank was appointed to collett water and light bills in June of 1928.
Police lights were installed in Feb. 1930, and in 1931 electricity was furnished to Central State Hospital.
James Towne was appointed superintendent at $170,00 monthyl and ads were placed in the Leader-News to stimulete electric stove and appliance purchases. Quarterly payment of water bills was started in Aug. 1932.
Plans for a water treatment plant were approved May, 1934. Between Aug. 1935 and July, 1938, the Utilities sold Monarch stoves.
The new reservoir was put in use in June, 1941. In 1943, an electric eye was purchased to determine on and off times for the street lights.
Various sums of money were invested in war bonds and many restrictions were made by the War Production Board during the World War II years.
In July, 1945, plans were begun for a new disposal plant and in Oct. 1946, the Commission agreed to operate the plant. Fluorination of water was approved in 1950. An open house was held at the sewage plant on June 28-29, 1952.
A tornado struck Waupun Aug, 1, 1953, the outage started at 2:40 p.m, on a Saturday. Sixty per cent of the service was restored by Monday, 70% by Tuesday, 86% on Wednesday. There were 65 linemen and helpers, two tree trimming crews, three service crews made of local electricians, making 80 men in all. Some 40 poles were replaced during that week.
POLICE RADIO INSTALLED
In Feb., 1955, it was decided to install a police radio in the Utilities office. Bids for a sub-station steel structure were opened in Aug. 1955.
In 1957 new street lights were installed and in 1958 the employees went on a 40-hour work week and the Utilities paid employees share of Blue Cross and Blue Shield insurance.
Robert J. Doan was hired as superintendent May 1, 1958. In Oct. 1961, the fireman alerting system was installed by the Wisconsin Telephone Company with a direct line to each of the firemen's home. An intercom telephone between City Hall and the Utilities was installed for fire
calls in June of 1962.
Excavation for a new water tower foundation was begun in July, 1965 was completed in February, 1966, and filled June 17, 1956.
In January, 1968, the hockey rink lights were installed. Ernst Mullen was hired as manager of the Utilities in April, 1970 and Al Leu, who had been serving as temporary superintendent due to the death of Mr. Doan, was named superintendent.
Approval of the Water Treatment plant and remodeling and expansion of the existing plant and a resolution adopted for the construction of the Chlorination equipment at the Sewage plant came in Aug. 1970.
The water treatment plant was shut down from Oct. 18, 1971 until the end of January, 1972. Waupun residents really knew the hardships of hard water. Everyone was happy to have the treatment plant back in operation.
Construction of the new sub-station got underway in Dec, 1971. Mr. Mullen resigned Aug. 31, 1972, and Mr. Leu was appointed temporary manager and promoted to manager Aug. 1, 1973.
The Waupun Public Utilities is owned by the city, but is not governed by the Common Council but a non-partisan Commission of five members appointed by the mayor for five year terms. One of the Commissioners must be an alderman on the City Council.
The Commission appoints the manager of the Utilities, fixes his salary and authorizes him to hire all help.
The electric and water utility is ruled by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. The local utility may suggest roles to use in its operation. A set of rules is filed with the PSC.
The sewage plant, however, operates under the ordinances estabished by the Common Council, although the Utilities operates the plant and keeps the books of accounts and collects the money for the service in a matter of form prescribed by the PSC. These books are open to the public, Sewer lines, incerceptros, mains and laterals are handled by the Waupun Street Department.
The City treasurer signs the checks and reconciles the banking account of the Utility money turned over to him. Until February, 1972, light bills were collected at the City Hall. Since that time the bills are paid at the newly constructed Utility office which features a drive-up window. Don Vande Zande is the office manager. With him on the staff are Mrs. Anita Schultz and Mrs. Lorraine Loomans. Mr. Vande Zande handles all the bookkeeping and sepervise all aspects of the office.
This office is the base station for the fire department, answering all fire calls and throws the switch for the alarm. They handle the firemen's alerting phone system, telling whether it is a country or city fire. They then stand by on the fire department's radio communications with the fire trucks until relieved. The switch for the disaster warning sirens is also operated here for the Emerency Government dept.
The Utilities purchases electrical power from the Wis. Power & Light Company. It has an auxiliary generator for the operation of the water plant in case of emergency. There are two substations, one on Monroe Street, and the other on the west end of W. Brown Street.
The raw water supply for the plant in Waupun is obtained from two deep wells, one of which is 965 feet deep and the other 611 feet deep and are located near the plant. The water pumped from these wells is obtained from lower rock formations and during the passage of the water through these formations, mineral matter is dissolved with the result that the raw water contains objectionable quantities of iron, calcium and magnesium.
The U. S. Public Health Service considers an iron content in excess of 0.30 objectionable since it will stain plumbing fixtures and laundered clothing and forms objectionable deposits in pipe lines and water heaters.
The iron content in the water from the two city wells varies from the minimum of 1.1 ppm to a maximum of 2.4 ppm and the hardness varies from 16 grains per galley to 18 grains per gallen. This is in excess of what is considered a desirable water supply. The end product, after softining is a water that is iron free and with a hardness that has been reduced to 3 grains per gallon. In the early 1930's city official began a study of the quality of their water supply, giving specific consideration to the removal of iron and reduction in hardness. It was determined that the desirable capacity at this time would be 1 million gallons per day. The bids were received and the plant built and was put into service in Janueary, 1935.
The water from the wells is pumped to the surface and enters the softening plant at a point called the rapid mix basin, whose dimensions are 2 square foot by 12 feet deep. The softening process used in Waupun is called a straight lime process. The principle of the straight lime process of softening water can be explained in this matter. Lime is limestone which has had the carbon dioxide gas burned out of it. When this lime, or calcium carbonate, is placed in the water, it takes up the the carbon dioxide gas which is only loosely holding the bicarbonates, or hardness, in solution. The result is, the bicarbonates, being deprived of the gas which holds them in solution, settle out, or precipitate, leavoing softened water. Chemically pure hydrated lime is used. This lime which is purchased in carload lots of 35 tons, is stored on the third floor of the softening plant and is fed into a hopper extending down into the mix room. The quantity of lime being fed is determined by weight shown on a springless scale. The lime fed is mixed with just enough water in a chamber immediately ahead of the rapid mix basin to carry it into that basin. In the basin is a set of electrically driven propellers which thoroughly mix the raw water with the water containing the lime.
From the rapid mix basin the water, wth the lime now in solution, moves into the flocculators. These two tanks are l0 X 8 X 14 feet and have sets of paddles which give the water another stirring. The water remains in these tanks approximately 30 minutes. During this period of retention the lime in the water is churned into small flocs which absorb any color or odors which may be in the water and pick up any material, holding them in suspension. From the flocculators the water moves to into the settling basin. This basin is 25 X 68 X 14 feet and is where the water, which is properly mixed with the lime, goes through a chemical reaction in which the compounds of calcium and magnesium in solution are converted into a precipitate which settles to the bottom of the tank, from which it is removed periodically.
The water flowing from the settling tank is not stable because it is supersaturated with normal carbonates of calcium and magnesium. In this condition, it will cause incrustation in the filters and pipe lines with deposits of carbonates. To eliminate these deposits, the the water is passed through a recarbonation chamber where carbon dioxide produced by the combustion of fuel oil is passed through it. The carbon dioxide neutralizes any excess lime or caustic alkalinity converting the normal carbonates to bicarbonates eliminating deposits.
From the recarbonation chamber the water flows to the top of sand filters, two in number, which are 10 X 12 feet in size. These filters have 20" to 24" of small rock, or gravel or the bottom and are graduated up to 30" of fine sand on the top. The water moves down through the filters by means of gravity at the rate of 2 3/4 gallons per square foot per minute and in its passage the suspended matter is removed. The filters can be used from 30 to 40 hours. Control equipment permits the operator to control the rate of flow through a filter up to its rated capacity. The filter equipment will also indicate when suspended matter removed from the water has accumulated to a point where its removal becomes necessary. The filter is then taken out of regular service, filtered water pumped to the bottom of the filter, allowed to rise upward though the filter, carrying, the suspended matter which leaves the filter, through wash water troughs. The wash water is discharged into a settling tank, and is later pumped to the drying beds. The water moving through the filters goes into two reservoirs, one of 215,000 gallons, the other 500,000, for storage. From these reservoirs, the water is pumped by means of electrically-driven 6entrifugal pumps out into the distribution system, which is made up of over 25 miles of main that carries the water to the homes and businesses of the city. The excess water pumped into the distribution system is collected in two elevated storage tanks located in the south prison alley. These tanks hold 60000 and 80,000 scm gallons, respectively.
The softened water which is produced by the softening plant is tested several times per day to determine alkalinity. Once each week a sample taken from four removed points in the city is sent to the State Laboratory of Hygiene in Madison, to be tested for bacteria. The results OF THESE TESTS, WHICH, BECAUSE OF Waupun's exceptionally good water reported safe, are kept on file in the office.
Waupun also adds sodium fluoride to the water supply to the extent of 1.2ppm to help development and prevent tooth decay.Acquisition
Accession
2016.0075Source or Donor
Waupun Area Chamber of CommerceAcquisition Method
Donation
