In 2017, excavation work uncovered 1812 wooden water mains beneath Philadelphia’s Spruce Street, revealing the city’s early water network | World News

PC: Philadelphia Water Department,

Workers replacing a water main on Philadelphia’s Spruce Street in 2017 uncovered wooden water mains dating back to the early 19th century. The pipes were found during excavation along the 900 block of Spruce Street on 3 May, and research by Adam Levine, PWD’s historical consultant, indicates the main was most likely installed around 1812. Records from the city’s Watering Committee show that a pipe was laid “Back of Spruce, from Ninth to Tenth” between October 1811 and October 1812. The wooden mains formed part of Philadelphia’s early water infrastructure before the city transitioned to cast iron pipes.

Philadelphia’s wooden water mains dated back to around 1812

According to the Philadelphia Water Department, the wooden mains dated to a period when Philadelphia’s water system was still developing. According to Levine’s research, a Watering Committee report dated 5 November 1812 recorded that a pipe had been laid “Back of Spruce, from Ninth to Tenth” between October 1811 and October 1812. The report also listed other pipes laid near the same block during that period.At the time, the Fairmount Water Works had not yet been completed. The PWD source states that drinking water was still being delivered by gravity from the Centre Square Water Works, which stood at the site where Philadelphia City Hall is located today. The PWD says the department itself began supplying the city with water in 1801.

Why did Philadelphia replace its wooden water mains with cast iron pipes

According to Levine, Philadelphia began laying cast iron pipes alongside wooden ones in 1819. He wrote that “After 1832 all new pipe laid was cast iron, and the existing wooden pipes were gradually replaced.” The wooden pipe uncovered on Spruce Street had itself been replaced by a 12-inch cast iron main in 1831.The replacement of wooden mains continued for decades. Levine stated that these replacements continued until 1858, when “the last wooden pipe was taken out of service (if not out of the ground).” The PWD reported that the section discovered on Spruce Street was mostly rotten, although a couple of sections were salvaged and moved to a storage facility.

What does the PWD archive preserve

The discovery added to the Philadelphia Water Department’s collection of historical material documenting the city’s water infrastructure. According to the PWD, its archives contain more than 30,000 items and are dedicated to preserving the history of the department and Philadelphia’s water system.The Spruce Street discovery also helped document a period when wooden mains formed part of Philadelphia’s water network. The PWD noted that the discovery was not the first time its historic wooden water mains had attracted public attention. The department had previously published images from its archives to address an urban belief that some customers might still be served by wooden mains, stating that this would not be possible because the old structures would not withstand the water pressure of the modern delivery system.