GJWA Historical Documents
The problem of supplying water in Greater Johnstown is a complicated one, largely because of the topography of the area. Johnstown is a combination of hills and valleys and the major faction of the problem of supplying water is one of elevation. As the population of the area has expanded, it has been necessary, because of the limited space in the valley of the Conemaugh, to build homes higher and higher in the surrounding hills. Service is provided by the Johnstown Water Company at virtually all elevations (rising to 747 feet) within a three-mile radius of City Hall. Forty-seven and three-tenths percent of the water company's consumers are on the pumping system, which is composed of seventeen tanks with a total storage capacity of 7,236,000 gallons and six booster pumping stations.
The first tank and pump station were built in Prospect in 1880. In 1890 the Westmont pump station, located in the Fifth Ward of the City of Johnstown, and Westmont brick tank were built. In 1903 another pump station was built in Prospect. The Roxbury pump station and tank were built in 1908. 1910 was the year of construction of the Woodvale Heights pump station and wood tank and in 1915 the Dale pump station and wooden tank were built. In 1918 the Franklin pump station was constructed. The Morrellville pump station was built in 1919 and the wood tank in that area in 1920. In 1920 the first three steel tanks of the Johnstown Water Company were erected--the Roxbury steel tank, the first Dale steel tank and the Westmont aerial tank which was the only one of its kind in the water company system. In 1922 Prospect steel tank No. 1 was built and in 19214 the Tenth Ward pumping station and storage tank were constructed. Morrellville steel tank No. 1 was built in 1927 and the Westmont high-level concrete tank was erected in the same year. The major piece of water company construction occurred eleven years later when Prospect steel tank No. 2 was built. There was another time lapse, of twelve years duration, and then in 1950 Morrellville steel tank No. 2 was erected. In 1956 three new tanks were built, the Moxham steel tank, the Ninth and Tenth wards steel tank and the Franklin steel tank. In 1957 the Millcreek pump station was built and the Brownstown steel tank was constructed. In the next year, 1958, the Westmont pumping station in the Fifth Ward was retired and is now used for storage, and in the san~ year the Westmont aerial tank was retired and dismanteled. Also in 1958 the Woodvale Heights pump station and tank were sold to the East Taylor Municipal Authority. In 1959 the Roxbury pump station was deeded to Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital and the Oakland steel tank was built. In 1960 Dale steel tanks Nos. 2 and 3 were constructed and Dale steel tank No. 1 and the wood tank were retired. -2-
Of the above-mentioned units of the pumping system of the Johnstown Water Company, the following are still in service:
| PUMPING STATIONS | DATE OF CONSTRUCTION |
|---|---|
| Prospect Pump Station | 1903 |
| Dale Pump Station | 1915 |
| Franklin Pump Station | 1918 |
| Morrellville Pump Station | 1919 |
| Tenth Ward Pump Station | 1924 |
| Millereek Pump Station | 1957 |
| TANKS | DATE OF CONSTRUCTION | CAPACITY (GALLONS) |
|---|---|---|
| Prospect Brick Tank | 1880 | 119,000 |
| Westmont Brick Tank | 1890 | 102,000 |
| Roxbury Wood Tank | 1908 | 75,000 |
| Morrellville Wood Tank | 1920 | 80,000 |
| Roxbury Steel Tank | 1921 | 287,000 |
| Prospect Steel Tank No. 1 | 1922 | 150,000 |
| Morrellville Steel Tank No. 1 | 1927 | 250,000 |
| Westmont High-Level Concrete Tank | 1927 | 3,000,000 |
| Prospect Steel Tank No. 2 | 1938 | 190,000 |
| Morrellville Steel Tank No. 2 | 1950 | 3214,000 |
| Franklin Steel Tank | 1956 | 1435,000 |
| Moxham Steel Tank | 1956 | 3214,000 |
| Ninth and Tenth Wards Steel Tank | 1956 | 100,000 |
| Brownstown Steel Tank | 1957 | 100,000 |
| Oakland Steel Tank | 1959 | 200,000 |
| Dale Steel Tank No. 2 | 1960 | 750,000 |
| Dale Steel Tank No. 3 | 1960 | 750,000 |
| 7,236,000 |
