💧 How the WPA Brought Clean Water & Modern Sanitation to America (1938)

📌 This 1938 WPA report details the construction of reservoirs, water mains, sewer systems, and drainage projects that improved public health across America. A must-read for historians, teachers, and genealogists studying New Deal infrastructure and public works.

Collage of Water & SewerProjects: Among the Water and Sanitation Facilities Constructed by WPA are: Retaining Walls (New York), Sewer (Ohio), Drainage Canal (New York), Sewage Disposal Plant (Louisiana), Water Main (New Jersey), Coagulating Plant (California), Sewer (Nebraska). Inventory: An Appraisal of Results of the Works Progress Administration, Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1938. GGA Image ID # 151e411234

🚰 WPA Water & Sewer Projects - 1938

Transforming America’s Public Health Infrastructure During the Great Depression

📖 The 1938 WPA report on water and sewer projects underscores the critical role of the New Deal in modernizing public health infrastructure. Water supply systems, sanitation facilities, reservoirs, and drainage projects accounted for nearly 10% of the entire WPA construction program. This massive investment improved public health, reduced the spread of disease, and lowered fire insurance rates, particularly in small towns and rural communities that previously lacked modern sanitation.

For teachers, students, genealogists, and historians, this document serves as an invaluable resource in understanding:

🔹 The public health crisis of the 1930s and how the WPA addressed it.

🔹 The impact of work relief programs on sanitation and infrastructure.

🔹 The role of local governments in utilizing federal assistance to improve living conditions.

🛠️ This report provides a compelling look at how WPA projects improved the daily lives of millions by expanding clean water access and building critical sanitation infrastructure.

Ranking fourth among the categories of WPA construction is the program of water supply and facilities for the disposal of sewage, which aggregates slightly less than one-tenth of all the agency's work. Here, once more, is a type of work suited to the employment of large numbers of manual laborers, even after much machinery and equipment had been made available by the municipalities.

Topical Index Page of WPA Water and Sewer Projects -- 10 Percent of Total Prorgram. Inventory: An Appraisal of Results of the Works Progress Administration, Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1938. GGA Image ID # 151e58d778

Chief benefits to the public, aside from convenience, have been more healthful communities and lower fire-insurance rates. WPA workers have constructed 1,272 new reservoirs, storage tanks or cisterns, and improved 329 others.

The total capacity of these facilities, slightly over four billion gallons, would be sufficient to supply water to a population of more than 4,000,000 at average load for 10 days, or to supply a city of 100,000 people for more than a year without replenishment.

They have built 4,295 miles of new water mains, aqueducts or distribution lines, and re- paired 1,458 miles additional, and 288,131 consumer connections have been installed or repaired. They have built 6,299 miles of storm and sanitary sewers and repaired 1,966 miles additional.

These range from six- to eight-inch laterals to trunk lines and outfalls 10 feet in diameter. Service connections provided or repaired: 180,030. This mileage of sewers would be adequate for the complete service of 100 towns of 10,000 population each.

Sewage treatment plants have been built to the number of 243, enough to serve a population of over 1,000,000, and 151 others have been improved. In addition: 37,938 new cesspools, 3,883 septic tanks, chiefly in rural areas where other disposal systems were not available.

Water plants constructed total 60, with improvements to 63 others. These can serve a total of 6,375,000 persons. Pumping stations—252 new, 103 improved. Manholes and catch basins—156,323 new, 88,912 repaired. Work in this general field relates, in its public significance, either to public health or conservation.

The improvements above, being urban in character, relate to health. The sealing of 7,777 abandoned mines, to stop pollution of American streams with acid from the shafts, is both a health and a conservation matter, which will be discussed under the latter heading, as will the construction of 3,504 storage dams, principally in drought areas.

For general drainage purposes, WPA workers have dug over 1,000 miles of new ditches and laid 700 miles of new drainage pipe, in addition to renovating 6,500 miles of existing ditches. The total area drained is in excess of 8,500,000 acres.

Perhaps the most dramatic benefits from WPA water supply and sanitation work have been gained by the small cities and towns, traditionally unable to construct such facilities or, at least, adequate ones. But with the WPA offering to pay the wages of their own needy local workmen, many officials hastened to pro- vide the necessary materials.

Water systems, in particular, offer little or no financial problem because of the local revenues they produce.

Collage of Water and Sanitation Facilities Constructed by the WPA: Water Tower (Kansas), Sewage Disposal Plant (Washington), Spillway (Massachusetts), Reservoir (Pennsylvania), Filtration Plant (Connecticut), Reservoir (New Jersey), Dam (South Dakota), Disposal Plant (Georgia). Inventory: An Appraisal of Results of the Works Progress Administration, Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1938. GGA Image ID # 151e91a3f4

ADDENDA

The CWA and FERA work-relief programs, predecessors to the WPA, built or reconditioned almost as much additional mileage of sewers and water mains as is shown above.

The total for the three programs is over 15,000 miles of storm and sanitary sewers, 10,000 miles of water mains, 6,000 treatment plants (including sewage, water, garbage incinerators, and septic tanks), 1,100 pumping stations, nearly 12,000 storage dams, reservoirs, tanks, and cisterns, and the drilling of 9,500 public wells, principally in the drought areas.

For all types of drainage—roadside, mosquito control, and general—workers under the three successive programs have dug or rehabilitated a total of more than 104,000 miles of ditches.

"Water and Sewer," in Inventory: An Appraisal of Results of the Works Progress Administration, Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1938, pp. 25-28.

Why This Document is Important

📜 Relevance for Different Audiences

✔ For Historians & Researchers

🔹 Demonstrates how government intervention addressed sanitation and public health concerns.

🔹 Provides quantitative data on water and sewer projects, which can be compared to modern infrastructure development.

🔹 Documents the long-term effects of WPA programs on public works planning.

✔ For Genealogists & Family Historians

🔹 Identifies where ancestors may have worked on major WPA water and sewer projects.

🔹 Connects family history to public improvements—if ancestors lived in small towns that benefited from WPA water systems, they likely saw significant quality-of-life improvements.

🔹 Provides insight into occupations—plumbers, engineers, laborers, and public works employees were often involved in these WPA initiatives.

✔ For Teachers & Students

🔹 Illustrates how government programs tackled public health challenges during the Great Depression.

🔹 Provides case studies on infrastructure development, federal relief programs, and local government cooperation.

🔹 Connects to broader themes in U.S. history, such as urbanization, sanitation, and public policy.

📌 This report serves as a historical blueprint for understanding the evolution of public water and sanitation services in America.

💧 Water Supply & Sanitation: A Lifeline for Small Towns & Rural Areas

✔ Why This is Fascinating:

🔹 1,272 reservoirs, storage tanks, and cisterns were built, improving water storage capacity.

🔹 4,295 miles of new water mains were installed, ensuring safe drinking water for communities.

🔹 Sewage treatment plants increased dramatically—243 were built, serving over 1 million people.

✔ Key Takeaway:

🔹 The WPA’s water infrastructure efforts helped control disease, reduce fire hazards, and improve urban planning.

📌 This section highlights the critical need for government intervention in water access and public sanitation, particularly in underserved areas.

🚧 Sewer & Drainage Projects: Preventing Flooding & Disease

✔ Why This is Fascinating:

🔹 6,299 miles of storm and sanitary sewers were built, ensuring proper waste disposal.

🔹 180,030 service connections were installed, directly benefiting households and businesses.

🔹 Over 1,000 miles of new drainage ditches were dug, protecting communities from flooding and mosquito-borne illnesses.

✔ Key Takeaway:

🔹 These projects revolutionized sanitation in towns that previously relied on unsafe waste disposal methods.

📌 This section underscores the long-term benefits of WPA projects—many of these drainage systems are still in use today.

🏭 Industrial & Environmental Impact: Sealing Abandoned Mines & Cleaning Water Sources

✔ Why This is Fascinating:

🔹 7,777 abandoned mines were sealed to prevent pollution from acid runoff.

🔹 3,504 storage dams were constructed, particularly in drought-prone areas.

🔹 Filtration and coagulation plants improved water purification, making drinking water safer.

✔ Key Takeaway:

🔹 The WPA also addressed environmental and industrial pollution, preventing contaminated water from harming public health.

📌 This section reveals how government intervention was essential in controlling water pollution and conserving water resources.

🔥 Fire Protection & Public Safety: Lowering Insurance Costs

✔ Why This is Fascinating:

🔹 Many towns saw lower fire insurance rates due to improved access to water for firefighting.

🔹 New water towers, hydrants, and storage tanks increased water pressure, making fire response more effective.

✔ Key Takeaway:

🔹 These projects made communities safer, reduced financial burdens, and contributed to economic stability.

📌 This section shows how WPA projects had an immediate and measurable impact on public safety.

🖼 Noteworthy Images & Their Significance

🖼 💦 "Collage of Water & Sewer Projects"

Features key water sanitation projects, including retaining walls, sewage plants, and filtration plants, showcasing the range of WPA work.

🖼 📊 "Water & Sewer Projects – 10% of Total WPA Program"

Highlights the significance of water infrastructure investment within the WPA’s overall work relief strategy.

🖼 🏗️ "Collage of Water and Sanitation Facilities Constructed by WPA"

Displays important projects such as reservoirs, dams, and disposal plants, emphasizing the WPA’s role in modernizing public health infrastructure.

📌 These images reinforce the massive scale of WPA water projects and their direct impact on public health and safety.

Bias & Perspective Considerations

✔ Pro-WPA Tone:

The report praises the WPA’s success in water and sanitation but does not address potential challenges, such as cost overruns, community resistance, or long-term maintenance issues.

✔ Exclusion of Racial & Socioeconomic Disparities:

The report does not mention whether water and sewer improvements were equally distributed across racial and economic lines—which was a significant issue in 1930s America.

✔ Focus on Achievements Over Problems:

The report does not discuss engineering failures, construction delays, or community opposition to certain projects.

📌 While this document is a valuable record of WPA accomplishments, it is essential to consider additional sources for a more balanced historical perspective.

Final Thoughts: Why This Report Matters

🔹 "WPA Water & Sewer Projects - 1938" offers a detailed account of one of the most crucial public health initiatives in American history. By providing access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation, the WPA dramatically improved the quality of life for millions of Americans—especially in small towns and rural communities.

🔹 For historians, teachers, genealogists, and students, this report is a goldmine of information on how federal work relief programs shaped modern public infrastructure.

💦 The reservoirs, sewers, and water mains built under the WPA continue to serve communities to this day, proving that government investment in public health has long-term benefits. 🚰🏗️