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Show then and now Sixty years ago in Moab important things were happening. One of the most vital was construction of .t pipeline to bring- running water into homes in lieu of ditch and cistern waters and a handful of springs. The survey for the pipeline had just been completed com-pleted by an engineer from Grand Junction, who stated stat-ed that all the water would be brought down on the city side of Mill creek from a reservoir to be built on graveyard hill. A line would cross the creek at Teacher's (now Walker Subdivision) to supply the south side. The water for the reservoir originated at a spring in the vicinity of the old power dam, a distance of a little more than two miles from the Cooper-Martin building in downtown Moab. The spring produced 105,000 gallons of water each 24 hours, the surveyor noted in his report; fall from the reservoir to downtown Moab was 135 feet, giving a pressure of 58 pounds. He said that with the new water system, it would be possible to exinguish a fire in any building in Moab, wilh the exception of the school belfrey. In accordance with his recommendation, the pipeline pipe-line was made of wood, completed in 1908 and served its purpose well for many years. Much of the old wood was uncovered during the building boom of the 1950's. The 1908 water system laid the groundwork for the modern Moab of today. Other projects, most not-t not-t ably the one begun seven years "ilgd, 'netted "a new water and sewer system; a sewage disposal plant nearing completion now will bring the facilities up to standards for a town of 15,000 residents. Tlie va'Jey's problem now is the area outside the Moab city limits. Problem after problem arises in Spanish Valley as it becomes more developed, most of all surrounding individual water supplies from wells, or Jack of sewage transmission, making septic tanks necessary. As Moab City forsaw a need for municipal-type water early in the century which has brought about orderly development and consistent improvement, the same type of effort will have to eventually be made in Spanish Valley. Spanish Valley provides Moab its only logical place for growth and expansion. It is conceivable that future years might see the extension of residential, commercial and light industrial construction all the way to Blue Hill. But unless efforts are made in the immediate future to provide the valley with adequate water and sewer facilities, the development is going to be difficult, if not impossible. |