Water is the most vital resource on the planet. Our health, daily lives, and hygiene depend on it. Without water, we wouldn’t last a week. In past centuries, many cities and settlements faced challenges with their water supply, and Toronto was no exception. Today, we want to tell our readers the story of how Toronto’s water system was created. Read more at toronto-future.com.
Clean Water: The Key to Public Health
In the late 18th century, Toronto was just beginning to develop. However, its citizens faced the problem of a lack of safe drinking water. As a result, until the mid-19th century, the city relied on private water sources. During this period, the water near the city’s shores was heavily polluted by waste discharged from homes and businesses.
In 1842, the City of Toronto used hand-pumping to draw water from local springs, wells, and Lake Ontario. The water was then delivered to people by special water carriers.
Local entrepreneurs recognized the problem, and from 1843 to 1873, water was privately supplied by Furniss Works or Toronto Water Works, a subsidiary of the Toronto Gas Light and Water Company. Incidentally, the Toronto Gas Light and Water Company was owned by Montreal businessman Albert Furniss. It’s worth noting that while the company managed water distribution to the public, water quality remained a problem due to the pollution of its sources.
Furniss Works is Acquired by the City of Toronto
When the businessman passed away in 1872, his company was purchased by Toronto’s local government. From then on, water was supplied to local residents by the public sector. A Water Works Commission was established to take on the responsibility of managing the city’s water supply system. Outside of Toronto proper, treatment plants and pumping stations were in operation.
The R. C. Harris Water Treatment Plant, located east of Old Toronto, is considered the oldest water treatment plant in Toronto. Its construction began in 1932, and it opened in 1941.
Notably, this facility has a capacity of 950 million litres per day and produces approximately 30% of Toronto’s drinking water. As for its water intakes, they are located more than 2.6 kilometres from the shore at a depth of 15 metres.
An interesting fact is that before the construction of the water treatment plant, the site was home to Victoria Park, a waterfront amusement park. It operated from 1878 to 1906.
By the 1950s, the water supply situation in Toronto had changed significantly. This was all due to the creation of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, which amalgamated several municipalities.
In 1975, water supply began for the population of York. In 1998, the utility Toronto Water was created, assuming responsibility for supplying the city with water.
Today, Toronto has one of the most advanced water supply systems in the world, providing high-quality water to the population of the city and its suburbs.
Water: A Vital Resource for Humanity
Water is essential for human life. It is of great importance to all living organisms. However, in today’s world, there is a shortage of fresh water on the planet. Ecologists and scientists have repeatedly raised this issue. People are very irresponsible with natural resources, especially water. This all leads to the rapid depletion of natural sources. Statistically speaking, about 2 billion people on the planet are still forced to use water that receives no quality treatment whatsoever. These are staggering figures that only continue to grow each year.
This has been the story of the creation and development of the waterworks system in the city of Toronto. We hope our article was informative and that you have drawn your own conclusions.