Guide No. 29-C:

Dallas Water Utilities Records, 1886 - 1999 [Addition]

Scope and Contents

Unpublished reports and studies, correspondence and memoranda, statistical data, maps and plans, ephemera, newspaper clippings, and printed materials.

Collection documents the history, development, and operations of Dallas Water Utilities (DWU), the self-financed City of Dallas department responsible for water collection and distribution. DWU serves a population of approximately 1,211,000 customers in Dallas, 862,457 in wholesale customers cities (treated water), and 129,993 in wholesale customer cities (untreated water) in a service area of approximately 699 square miles. Dallas’ surface water supply comes from five reservoirs – Lakes Lewisville, Grapevine, Ray Hubbard, Tawakoni, and Ray Roberts. Water purification is conducted at three plants, East Side, Elm Fork, and Bachman, treating around 855 million gallons a day. Water is distributed by means of 23 pump stations and stored in 21 storage tanks (nine elevated, twelve ground) and conveyed through 4,639 miles of water main. Wastewater is treated at two plants, Central and Southside, at 260 million gallons a day.

Dallas Water Utilities began as the City of Dallas Waterworks in 1881 when the City purchased a privately-owned water company that had been providing Dallas with water since the 1870s. When Browder Springs proved an inadequate water source, The City turned to surface water sources such as the Trinity River and manmade lakes (Bachman [1903]; White Rock [1913]; Lakes Lewisville [1929]; Lake Grapevine [1952]; Lake Tawakoni [1963]; Lake Ray Hubbard [1970]; Lake Ray Roberts [1980]; Lake Fork [2009]; and Lake Palestine [2015]).

The bulk of the collection is original documents, though approximately 30% of the collection is photocopied material. Original order was maintained in series judged to be intact, but parts of the collection required an imposed arrangement.

Archivist's note: This collection comprises one of several additions and is not comprehensive. Please see other additions for missing portions of series. For photographs, please see the separate Collection Guide Number 29-A.

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Detailed Description of the Collection