Presented by Bettye Lessley:
The City of Sylacauga is faced once again with the problem of a water shortage. This is one of many times that it has been a problem for the city. The following article is from The Sylacauga News, Thursday, September 24, 1925.
“Water supply will be ample for Sylacauga. Just a question of making ready to meet the growth of this section. While true our people have been a little apprehensive over the local water supply as the result of the continued dry weather, there is no reason to fear for the future. The old spring which has furnished an ample supply for many years still produces a good flow and under normal conditions will almost supply the present demand, but not sufficient to meet our rapid growth in citizenship. The Blue Spring, which has been connected up is also a bold stream of good water and its flow nearly as large as the old well. In connection with these springs, the city is now boring a twelve inch well. A depth of over 300 feet has been reached and already small streams have been touched. It is expected that the well will have to be sunk some 500 feet (five hundred feet) to secure a full flow. With this well Sylacauga expects to have ample water supply for a city of 25,000.
Engineers claim there are several large subterranean streams underlying the Sylacauga section indicated by deep wells bored at Walco and the ice plant. The Walco well is about 550 feet deep and has a fine flow of the best water. It is now furnishing water for about 1,000 people. The well at the ice plant is small and about 500 feet deep and rises near to the top and has never shown the slightest decrease from usage.
Mignon, the Comer Mills, with 5,000 people, is supplied from adjacent springs with sufficient flow for all purposes.
At the Moretti-Harrah Marble Works, there is an overflow stream rising from the excavation that requires the largest pump to take care of the excess water. It is estimated that this excess water would supply a city of 5,000. These marble works are located about two miles from Sylacauga, and when Sylacauga spreads out to take it in, could no doubt arrange for the use of this water.
And we are told that quite a number of prospectors, who are coring for marble all through this basin have struck a number of strong streams, in some instances the boring bit making a deep drop.
So when people and industries begin to look us over they need not be frightened about water. We have plenty, and if we get as large as New York, we can run a pump line about eight miles and hook up the Coosa River. So on with the dance.”
Sylacauga Water Works
The Water Works and Sanitary Sewage Work is going steadily on with the sanitary sewage. Mains have been laid for about half the distance trying to complete before the hot weather. Arrangements……. $200,000 bond issue and the people of Sylacauga can feel assured that …. City will be provided with the much needed electric lights and water works. Sylacauga is one of the few towns in the state that succeeds in whatever she undertakes, and her people have determined to make her a city of 5,000 in five years, and they will do it. Watch Sylacauga.
The Sylacauga Progress. Thursday June 2, 1904. No. 5.
Published in Sylacauga Today February 6 through February 21, 2008. BRL
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