The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
new WATERSUPPLY
SOUGHT IN 1871
Supervisors Publish Concise
History of City's Long Fight
to Solve the Problem

ings attendant upon the attempts OF
San Francisco to own its water supply,
which began as far back as 1871, is told
in the latest number of the Municipal
Record, which is the publication issued
by the authority and under the direc-
tion of the board of supervisors of this
city and county.
The story, therefore, is official. 1t
contains review so complete and sup
plies such a volume of information
germane to the present movement for
the establishment of a municipal water
system that it is given herewith in
substances:
1t might be truly said that the peo-
pie of San Francisco have always IN
tended that the city should own its
water supply m for It will rant be no5dd of priS saS
ileges to the local water companies
the city reserved the rights to purchase
the works installed.
supervisors, consisting of A. b. FORBES,
Stewart Menzies and Alexander Bad,
lam Jr., was appointed TO examine ana
report on the various available sources
of water supplies, and B, S. Alexander,
lieutenant colonel of engineers, U. 5: A,
and Prof George Davidson Of the United
States coast survey. were consulted In
This committee reported in part as
follows THAT the city should own the
water works and have control of the
should be lost by the city in taking
favorable action on this important
question of public interest:
There were differences of opinion as
to the source of supply, and nothing
further was done until 1874, when the
board of supervisors again took up the
matter and obtained an act OF the
legislature authorizing the city TO OBJ
tain water supply and construct
works.
elected chief engineer for the purpose
of making plans and estimates for such
water supply.
Six sources of supply were investi-
gated, viz. Clear lake in Lake county,
the Blue lakes in the Sierra, Calaveras
valley, San Francisco water company.
Spring Valley water company and Lake
Scowdens report was quite volumi-
nous and is published in fun in the
municipal reports of 1S74-5.
Later there was a report on Lake
Tahoe as a source of supply, and two
propositions were submitted to bring
supply from the American river; also
one from the Mokelumne river.
The report favored the Calaveras
valley as source of supply, and the
board of supervisors passed a resolu-
tion so purchase this property.
The resolution was adopted on May
IL, and on May 25, 1875, the city was
notified that the Calaveras valley lands
and rights had been sold to the Spring
1t was then discovered that the act
of 1874 did not give the city any right
to purchase lands in Santa Clara
county.
The board then resolved in favor. of
purchasing the works of the Spring
valley company, and. on July 26,
to sell its works on. the peninsula for
$l4 500, 600 and to include the Calaveras
property for $1,000, 900 additional.
The board of supervisors thought
4 4
negotiations were suspended. The total
cost to the city for engineering ex-
penSes was $4,000.
| In 1876 another act was passed b.
| the legislature authorizing the city to
acquire water supply and works. and
| Colonel George HI. Mendell, L. s. A,
was chosen as engineer
faColonel Mendell made an extended
report covering six sources in the
Sierra; also the San Joaquin river
Clear lakes. Calaveras and peninsular
recommendations as to which was the
most available source of supply.
/ The Spring Valley company was
again solicited to sell its works to the
city, and in response the offer was sub
mitted to sell the properties of the
company for the sum of $16,000,000.
This offer was deemed excessive. and
give s11, 100000
This offer was refused, and the su-
pervisors proceeded to have plans made
for water supply from the Blue lakes
! in the Sierra.
1t was then discovered that the act of
| the Legislature did not authorize the
city to construct works, but only to
| purchase existing works, and the mat
ter ended for that time.
Since that time the project of secur-
ing a water supply has been more or
less in the public mind. but the city
never secured legal power sufficient to
| enable 1T to work out a plan until the
adoption of the present charter in 1899.
Irar >ffi ofalx %olr of
the charter in 1900 the project of a mu-
| nicipal water supply was revived, and
c. e. Grunsky, city engineer, was di-
rected to make plans and estimates of
| cost for a proper supply.
| Grunsky investigated all of the
| sources that had been made tlfe basis
of estimates by Engineers Scowden,
Mende,l and others. and in addition
made a thorough inspection of the
Ssanislaus and Tuolumne rivers as pos
sible sources.
er over all other sources may be sum-
married. as follows:
/. The watershed is ample.
2. The region is practically unin-
habited and uninhabitable.
3. The reservoir sites of Lake Flea
nor and Hetch Hetchy valley are the
| 4. The distance from San Francisco
| is less than from other Sierra points.
Upon receiving the report of Mr..
Grunsky the supervisors immediately
| instituted proceedings for the acquisi-
] tion of the Tuolumne supply. As the
reservoir sites are located within the
| boundaries of the Yosemite reserve and
national park it became necessary to
obtain the consent of the United States
! government for the city to construct
works within it's reserve, create reser-
voirs at Lake Eleanor and Hetch
| Hetchy valley. with rights of way
| across the public lands
Applications for these rights We're
! made to the secretary of the interior
| in 1902 and were refused. Applica-
tions were made for a rehearing, which
were also refused.
The proceedings were at this stage
| in 1905, when there was a change in
the administration of the city. and
further progress was suspended.
In 1907 new forces assumed control
of the city's affairs. and the proceed
| ings before the interior department
were reopened, and in May last the
necessary permission was secured from
the secretary of the interior for the
| city to occupy the Lake Eleanor and
Hetch Hetchy reservoir sites and con-
| struct dams. etc.
There We're, however, certain condj-
| tions attached to the grant of these
| privileges, viz:
| 1. Within two years the people of the
city must vote on the question and de-
eide whether they wish to secure the