Scope and Content

Collection documents improvements made in stormwater outlet sewerage for portions of East and West Dallas. In 1931, Consulting Engineer W.W. Horner presented a report to the Dallas City Council on the stormwater outlet sewers for the Dallas Branch, Peak's Branch, and Mill Creek watersheds.  The report recommended the city create a storm drainage policy to implement and maintain a consistent method of routing wastewater and to avoid flooding issues that resulted from poor or nonexistent planning.  The report was accepted by the Council by Resolution in 1931.

Collection consists of the original typescript report and supporting maps and documentation as presented to the Dallas City Council, as well as documents associated with the implementation of the project's various stages.  Some stage documentation files contain typescript correspondence, blueprints and maps, engineering schedules, and a few black and white photographs.

The Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) is 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 customer 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 six reservoirs – Lakes Lewisville, Grapevine, Ray Hubbard, Tawakoni, Ray Roberts, and Fork.  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]).

Organization

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Access​

Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use by any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures must be obtained in writing from the Dallas Municipal Archives.  All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.  The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Citation

W. W. Horner Stormwater Outlet Sewers and Drainage Report, 1931-1934 (Box <x>, Folder <y>), Dallas Municipal Archives​

Related Material

Collection 1991-060—Dallas Water Utilities Records, 1882-Current
Collection 1991-042—Trunk Sewer Line, 1924

Index Terms

Dallas -- Texas -- History
Dallas (Tex.). Water Utilities Dept. -- History
Water Supply -- Dallas (Tex.) -- History

Container List