Water Supply

They reported against the use of wells as a source of supply, as being too uncertain, and recommended Stony Lake as a visible source, sufficient for all purposes. Examination and tests of the Stony Lake water showed that the quality was satisfactory and the supply ample to allow for the foreseeable growth of the town for a long time. The report recommended a pumping distribution system, a pipe line to town, a pressure tower, the necessary distribution system, and a sewerage system with a sewerage disposal plant and ejector station. The estimated cost of the whole undertaking was placed at $300,000.

Stony Lake was, at that time, a totally different body of water than it is today and no person could have foreseen the change that has taken place in less than forty years. At that time, the North shore line was within thirty feet of the pump house as it stands today, and the South line extended across the rear of the Al Duke farm for about a mile while it extended West across the present highway to the South, covering probably double the acreage of today.

In midsummer, 1929, the town council received from the Dominion Electric Power Company, an offer of $70,000 to purchase the Electric Lighting plant. This offer was submitted to the rate payers in a bylaw voted on on September 19. By a vote 112 for acceptance to 131 against, the offer was rejected. A factor which largely determined the vote, was an offer by the Saskatchewan Power Commission to purchase the plant as part of the Provincial system and the assurance of Premier Anderson that the Power Commission rates would be put into effect as soon as the offer of the Power Commission was satisfied by the Council. The Council accepted the terms of the Power Commission and the local plant became part of the Provincial network and a new transmission line and sub station at Humboldt was tested, the energy being turned on for testing purposes on November 27 when 13000 volts went over the wires The system was then completed to a point known as the Wakaw corner serving Carmel, Bruno, Wakaw, Prud'homme, Vonda and Aberdeen. This system was, at that time, connected across the Saskatchewan River with the main sub station at Langham.

Shortly after the solution of the financial problem, a new one arose in connection with the water supply of the town. Early in the 1930's a drought of unprecedented severity and length occurred which continued for several years. This series of dry years dried up, entirely, numbers of small lakes and sloughs and shrank the volume of the larger lakes to an unbelievable extent. Among those affected were Stony and Burton lakes, the sources of supply for the Town and the C.N. Railway. Most of our lakes contain varying amounts of mineral content, mostly of the alkaline variety. As the volume of water is lessened, the mineral content of the remaining water is increased, Stony Lake being one of that kind. When the Humboldt water supply was first installed at that lake in 1914, it was a comparatively large body of water of good quality, shown on analysis to be fit for drinking. The continued dry years reduced the volume to an extent never considered to be possible. This reduction came gradually as the dry years continued. About 1938 Stony Lake water became so heavily impregnated with mineral as to make it unfit for household purposes. To meet the situation, the Town Council of the time decided to sink wells in town. They obtained water which, although not free from mineral, was an improvement on Stony. However, in about a year's time, this supply failed. Arrangements were then made to hook up with the Railway supply from Burton Lake. This source, however, being affected by the same cause as Stony, was disappearing so fast that in order to preserve the remaining supply for their own use, the Railway refused to supply the town any longer. This compelled the town to return to Stony as a supply for fire protection and sewerage disposal purposes. In the meantime, the C.N.R., in search of a new supply, put down several test wells in a gravel strata south east of town and two miles directly east from the Stony Lake pumping station. Thorough tests of these wells, both by the C.N.R. and the town, under the direction of P.F.R.A. engineers, indicated that the strata contained a considerable volume of suitable water. To impound this and the spring run off from the drainage area, the Dominion Government built a dam in the locality.

Whereas the Railway is owner of certain lands, pipelines, buildings and appurtances used in connection with its water system in the Town of Humboldt, in the Province of Saskatchewan; and whereas by a certain Indenture dated the First Day of May, 1950, the Town did connect its pipes and hydrants with the Railway's water system for the purpose of obtaining a supply of water and the Railway did connect its sewer pipe to the town's sewer system.

Today, the Town of Humboldt has a secure supply of treated water which will assist expansion and development in the community. The water supply system consists of a river pump station at the South Saskatchewan River, a water treatment plant and distribution station located at Wakaw, two booster stations between Wakaw and Humboldt and approximately 190 kms of pipeline which connects with the Town of Humboldt's water distribution system.

The following are articles from The Humboldt Journal pertaining to this subject:

Council Arrange To Complete Waterworks And Sewage System

Cost Of Operation Of Electric Light Plant Is Excessive

Town Will Change Source Of Water Supply

Town Reverting To Stoney Lake For Water Supply

Locate Good Water Supply For Humboldt

New Town Well Has Been Put Into Operation

Waterworks, Sewage And Electric Light