Tulsa celebrates 100 years of the transformative Spavenau Water Project

This article was created by AI using a video recording of the meeting. It summarizes the key points discussed, but for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Link to Full Meeting

In the heart of Tulsa, a century ago, a transformative project began that would shape the city’s future: the Sabinaw Water Project. Back in 1924, Tulsa embarked on one of the most ambitious infrastructure undertakings in the nation, aiming to provide clean and reliable water to its residents. Before this project, Tulsans relied on springs, wells, and the Arkansas River, which were often tainted with gypsum, salt, and silt. The water quality was so poor that locals joked about needing to dust off after a bath.

The turning point came during a hunting trip in 1908 when a group of influential Tulsans discovered the crystal-clear waters of Spavenagh Creek. Fast forward to the summer of 1921, when the city water commission hired a young civil engineer, W. R. Hallway, to explore the feasibility of transporting this pristine water to Tulsa via gravity flow. His positive report led to a significant milestone: in November 1921, citizens overwhelmingly approved a $6.8 million bond to fund the Spavenau Water Supply Project.

Hallway was tasked with designing what would become one of the largest water projects in the country. Construction took two years and cost approximately $7.5 million. The Spavenau reservoir, towering five stories high and stretching two-thirds of a mile, impounded over 8.5 billion gallons of water, making it the largest lake in Oklahoma at the time. Water flowed by gravity through the longest raw water line in the United States, traversing rivers, creeks, and even tunneling through a 200-foot ridge.

On November 17, 1924, the completion of the Spavenau water system was celebrated with glasses raised high, toasting to the arrival of clean water. In a symbolic gesture, Hallway allowed the mayor to send his final paycheck through the flow line, catching it as it emerged at Mohawk.

Today, the legacy of the Spavenau Water Project continues, with the city of Tulsa providing an average of 105 million gallons of award-winning water daily to over 650,000 customers in the metropolitan area. As the city reflects on this monumental achievement, the words of the Tulsa World from 1924 resonate: while oil may have built Tulsa in the past, it is the Spavenau water that will sustain its future.

In a recent council meeting, officials noted a significant increase in demand for water services, with a 20% rise from 2023 to 2024, serving about 190 families daily. The need for reliable water remains as pressing as ever, underscoring the importance of the infrastructure that began a century ago.

Converted from Tulsa - Regular Council Meeting - Jan 01, 2025 meeting on January 01, 2025
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