►
From YouTube: Englewood Moments in History: Water Independence
Description
Englewood’s legacy can be found in our water. In fact, the city’s long-standing dedication to providing the essential resource to citizens goes back over a century. In today’s #TBT, you’ll find out why water prevented a Denver annexation and how our city is planning for another century of bringing clean water to you and your neighbors.
Learn more about Flow it Forward at www.englewoodco.gov/flowitforward
A
At
the
time
Englewood
was
incorporated
in
1903,
most
residents
relied
on
shallow
wells
or
the
city
ditch
to
obtain
water.
At
that
time,
the
City
Council
began
discussing
constructing
a
water
main
system
in
the
fledgling
city,
setting
the
stage
for
securing
Englewood
smushes
resource
in
1909
Englewood
contracted
with
the
Denver
Union
Water
Company
for
water
service,
but
residents
had
to
lay
their
own
water
mains.
As
the
city
grew,
water
pressure
provided
by
the
company
became
inadequate
in
1917,
the
Englewood
City
Council
asked
voters
to
approve
a
bond
issue
for
constructing
an
independent
water
system.
A
It
was
defeated
talk
of
an
next
Englewood
into
Denver
surfaced
in
the
early
1920s,
spurred
by
water
service
problems
with
the
Denver
Water
Board
Engle
woods,
mayor
and
city
council
were
in
favor
of
annexation.
After
infighting
between
the
Chamber
of
Commerce
and
the
City
Council,
the
annexation
proposal
was
ultimately
defeated.
In
1948,
the
Denver
Water
Board
issued
new
conditions
for
selling
water
to
Englewood
and
water
rates.
Increased
50%
the
board
created
an
additional
burden
by
man.
The
water
mains
and
meters
had
to
be
installed
at
the
customer's
expense.
A
In
October
of
that
year,
englewood
voters
authorized
the
sale
at
two
million
dollars
in
bonds
to
purchase
water
rights
and
build
its
own
water
treatment
plan.
The
city
purchased
the
Etchison
ranch
at
the
mouth
of
Waterton
canyon,
and
soon
after
McClelland,
reservoir
was
established
with
the
completion
of
the
new
plant
in
1952,
Inglewood
became
Denver
Water,
whose
first
customer
to
create
its
own
delivery
system
and
ensure
water
independence,
as
residents
are
now
being
asked
to
flow
it
forward
and
make
critical
updates
to
the
city's
water
infrastructure.
A
It
was
this
same
proactive
vision
by
its
forefathers
that
played
a
critical
role
in
keeping
Englewood
water
bills
lower
than
most
of
its
neighbors
newly
constructed
communities
on
the
Front
Range
build
and
acquire
their
water
supplies
of
infrastructure
at
significant
costs.
The
Englewood
proactively
made
this
investment
nearly
a
century
ago.
In
many
decades
later,
residents
continue
to
reap
the
benefits
of
this
foresight.