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<br />' rior €o the l7SOs, water was provided to
<br />residences in America b}� onsite wells or by
<br />wa[er sel}ers wl�o went door-to-door deliveri�g
<br />water hom nearby rivers or springs. AEthougl�
<br />Bethlelieeu, Peiinsyiti�ani.i can lay claim to tlie
<br />Firs� pumped and piped w�i�cr syste�u in _ ,t
<br />A�nerica (1754), it 4vas nol untii 1801 that = '
<br />i'hiladelpl�ia compieted tlie Grst major �`'S ;�. .
<br />� �
<br />com�nunity-wide n�aeerxrorl:s. �:;;'.
<br />Philadelp6ia consuucted its s}'s- cC3:..
<br />tem largeiy in response to
<br />dev�asta[in e idemics in u..�
<br />1793 and 1798. in (act, � °m�'n'"��
<br />epidemics (coupled '�" � ����� �
<br />with the need to jr e� �.��� �
<br />contral fires in
<br />dense urban
<br />centers), precipi- " ° ` � � 0 � B
<br />taeed the develop ;� � -
<br />ment oC many muni-
<br />cipaiwatersystems. �.�``�''�'k��.iti':�;i.',�=:�
<br />Un�il ciie 19di century,
<br />ind'tvidual residential cesspools '�C9�::.. ..- ' -" �
<br />; .y. � - -", :�i
<br />and the pail system €or remov�l oC "=�"' a�sihs,
<br />wnste from riv � its were the re- �"E"""" �� �
<br />P ? P P ��y�:�
<br />don�inant means for waste collection , -��.�-�
<br />and removal. The intraducYion of the ���ater
<br />i;
<br />closet ancl piped water supply resulted in over- , -
<br />ilowing priva[e cesSpouIs. This motiva[ed con-
<br />struction o( communiry-wide collection systems to ���U
<br />cari�� a�vay se���nge - to rivers and streams. Un[ormnate-
<br />ly�, ttiis remedy ofien shifted dze pollut�nts to tlie ���ater
<br />inialces oF communi�ies downstream.
<br />Solutions einerged in the develop�nent o( filtration sys�enis.
<br />The first slow sand filte�s for sewage cvere initiaced in Poughlceepsie,
<br />New Yorlc in 1870. Tlie next step for�vard, die intermittent filtia-
<br />tiun o[ sewa�e on sand 6eds
<br />(permitting air [o enter initia[-
<br />ing hiologica3 ac[ion and pro-
<br />ducing a clear and odorless
<br />eEt7uent), was firsi used in a
<br />mtmicipal system in Reading,
<br />Pennsyh�ania in I908. B}'
<br />tiVorld bVar l, ruosf of the l�raest
<br />cities in A�nerica l�ad water fil-
<br />tration sj�stems, chemical water
<br />treatinent faczlities, and setivage
<br />fil�ration plan[s. Neverdieless,
<br />until 19�F0 more than half of
<br />America's communities failed to
<br />treat their sewaoe in any tvay
<br />belore dvmping ii into a river
<br />or strearu.
<br />Comtminities rend to gro�v upri��er from thc location oE
<br />their originai secvage outfalL Tlie down tic�er Iocation of
<br />r;' se�vage outFalls generally attracts un�esirable ueigl�bors
<br />"=` such as garbage dwnps, Ceed lots, and hea�y indus-
<br />trial uses. bVi[h sewer systeins being gra��it}'-dii-
<br />ven, "be[ter reside�ices" sought seu�er-seraed
<br />. <.:`;' :
<br />high ground upstreain to avoid sewage
<br />�`:: odors and undesirabfe nearUy uses.
<br />, UnFortunately, [he spread,uf
<br />' � development upri��er, tt�ith its
<br />� pS resulti�to rui�oEE and inierfer-
<br />ence with local aquifer
<br />n:, c�iG
<br />���y�i;�;' '_�, recharge areas, posed a
<br />i ,fi,�
<br />- �hreat [o e�ater sup-
<br />e ° plies. As a resEilt,
<br />u
<br />- CllleS SOU Ilt
<br />��: � { �S�+�w $
<br />? i: � a�� �, -:re.,._ wa te [
<br />`� sourres ofren
<br />� ' "_ a coasiderable
<br />° �- "a H ilistance a�vay. Be-
<br />'��t ,�s � rn�een 1905 and 191�,
<br />for example, New York
<br />� ,:.- _°�=�''^°'� City bicilt l�uge reservoirs in
<br />�;;f_.:._; .:xr.al
<br />,_ :i,�, k.; . cs� the Catslcill Nlountains, some
<br />i srr- �00 miles lo the nortlz. Aro�uid the
<br />..> �°=-, :.
<br />�'° :,�u^ +.� same tiine, Los Angele5 under[oulc [he
<br />� r�.�• �;;��;h;:, enonnuus Owens Valtey Project, cazq�ing
<br />:,'::'.�
<br />�:� s�.�;� -, warer through a 240-mile aqttedncc. The
<br />�"'� Owens Valley project also reflected tlie truism
<br />��� diat wlioever controls the «�ater supply oE a region
<br />'t�', con[rols i�s potentiat Cor gro4��th.
<br />� Since mosE early citp centers were located along water-
<br />�vays, (looding was a regular threat. Large-scale regional flood
<br />prevention served as z primnry motivation Eor regional planning
<br />itt Anieiica. t1t tl�e local level, mairy modem subdi«sion control
<br />ordinances include requirements For Ihe retencion and slow
<br />release o! storm waters in new
<br />developments (often through
<br />dry basins or ponds on site).
<br />Thfs ltas minimized flood
<br />damage co neighboring and
<br />downstream properties.
<br />Federal and state clean
<br />ivater laws have helped enswe
<br />[he supply oE clean and safe
<br />drinlcing water. One �vay has
<br />been through the protection
<br />and preservation oE wedands
<br />and aquifer recharge areas, an
<br />approacli ttiat has also provid-
<br />ed valuable reCuges For migraF
<br />ing wacerfowl.
<br />I1tc ning�tificei�t Fnir�notmt Wniei Arori�s irt Pl�iladel�ltia, yuilf �enveeu 7812
<br />ni�A IS22, stiA grnces tlir ScliiiyUiill Rii�ec
<br />PLANNING COMMfSSLOPFERS JOURNAL / NUMBER 51 / SUMiv[ER 2003
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