Timeline

Pre-BLW 1800's | 1900-1939 | 1940-1969 | 1970-Present

1889
Kerosene lights in Marietta (Ref Kim Holland)

March - Contract closed for electric lights in Marietta (Ref The Marietta Journal, March 28, 1889)

November - Electric lights turned on (Ref p. 449, Social Life 1868-1900) return

1896
April - Water pumped into town; Roswell Street standpipe erected (Ref p. 449, Social Life 1868-1900) An ample supply of water was a "long needed want." (Ref p. 5, The First Marietta Waterworks)

"We expect to see it prove a good thing for out town in inducing people to buy & own property here & make this place their home." (Ref MDJ April 9, 1896)

Marietta's first waterworks started as a project of the Marietta Paper Manufacturing Company shortly after it moved downtown. In early 1896, Paper Co. built stone dam, reservoir & pumping house [on Rottenwood Creek--current Life College property]. System pumped water through a 10-inch pipe to a 50 foot standpipe on a hill adjacent to National Cemetery near Roswell Street. Standpipe held 350,000 gallons of water (Ref. p. 186, Cobb County, GA & Origins of the Suburban South - A Twentieth Century History) return

Late 1890's - Few years later, All Marietta Paper Manufacturing Company property sold to group of Marietta & Atlanta businessmen, including prominent Atlantans Ernest Woodruff, Hugh T. Inman & Mariettans Moultrie & George Sessions, Robert H. Northcutt & James T. Anderson, operating as the Georgia Manufacturing & Public Service Company. (Ref p. 186, Cobb County, GA & Origins of the Suburban South - A Twentieth Century History) return

1906
August 20 - Marietta Board of Lights & Waterworks created as a body corporate (incorporated) to own & administer the water & electric utilities; Robert W. Boone, John Awtrey & S.D. Rambo appointed as water commissioners for the next 8 years with successors elected by Mayor & City Council for the term of 4 years. (Ref No 500 of the Acts of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia, 1906; GA Legislative Docs p. 846-848; Ordinances of the City of Marietta, p. 61) return

November 1 - November 1, Bonds defeated (Ref. Marietta Journal & Courier)

First BLW Board of Directors were Sam D. Rambo, Chair; S.K. Dick, Vice Chair; J.M. Fowler, Treasurer; T.A. Gramling, & Mayor E.P. Dobbs (Ref. MDJ Feb 28 2006); Bonds issued in a sum not to exceed $80,000

Council consisted of Mayor E.P. Dobbs, J.W. Hardeman, C.A. Guyton, J.M. Fowler, S.A. Garwood, W.D. Brown & N.M. Mayes (Ref. MDJ Feb 28 2006) return

1908
November 16 - Citizens voted for bonds for the installation of a modern system of waterworks & sewage (Ref p. 476 The First Hundred Years) return

1909
August 14 - BLW granted charge of the system of sewerage created under the acts of 1905 (Ref. Page 1099 GA Legislative Docs, No. 169, City Charter Amendment) return

1909
May 31 - First meeting of Board of Lights & Waterworks (Ref p. 476 The First Hundred Years) return

1910
January - Judge Morris signs order allowing work to proceed on building waterworks though several new suits have been filed: One to forfeit franchise, one to stop payments to Trust Company, & one to stop Paper Mill. (Ref The Marietta Journal and Courier, January 14, 1910) return

July 1 - Well System to supply water for City (Ref Marietta Journal & Courier)return

August 10 - State Legislature Act 407 authorized City to hold an election to give the Waterworks & Lights eminent domain (Ref. City Clerk Data p. 8; Ordinances of the City of Marietta, No. 407, p. 67) return

October - Water Board's statement to the public of negotiation with paper company (Ref. Marietta Journal & Courier) return

November - New Waterworks system went into operation on Sessions Street; Well-known Marietta citizen T.A. Gramling was Chairman of the Board of Lights & Water during this time; [Nolan building on Church Street was the office of the Water Board (Ref. Marietta Journal & Courier)] See Vol 44 MJ return

November 7 - City Council adopted rules in regard to water service (Ref Regular Monthly Meeting Minutes of Mayor and Council Held November 7, 1910) return

November 10 - Water will be turned on (Ref. Marietta Journal & Courier) return

November - Dr. S.D. Rambo was the 1st citizen to connect with the new waterworks, followed in rapid succession by Joe Black, Judge Morris, & H.N. DuPre. "Up to date about fifty applications for water have been filed & the taps are being made as rapidly as possible. The people seem anxious to get the artesian water & it is expect that in a short while practically the entire city will be using it." "It has been found that the stand-pipe pressure at the Square is sixty-two pounds which will put water on the roof of any building in the city." (Ref. Marietta Journal & Courier, Friday, November 25, 1910 return

1912
May 24 - Mayor & Council enforce sewer connections (Ref. Marietta Journal & Courier) return

June 14 - "We made 24 new water connections during the month & did several jobs for private parties, the principal one being for the Brumby Chair Company." (Ref. Light Plant Report, p. 10) return

June - Installation of better street lighting system, particularly around the square, proudly referred to as the "white-way lights." Gem City Band played "Dixie" and the MDJ remarked "The light is soft as moon beams and restful as music that brings sweet sleep from the blissful skies." (Ref. First Hundred Years 1900-1934, p. 476)

Square lights powered steam plant to generate power - possibly at Sessions Street (Ref. Marietta Journal & Courier) return

September 6 - City found electricity cheaper to buy than to create - Tallulah Falls (Ref. Marietta Journal & Courier) return

1923 - Eleven wells: Winn Street, Page Street, Sessions, Street, Wright Street and 3 at Sessions Street (Ref Cobb Library, Georgia Room, Reference G975.8245 w/ Marietta Waterworks) return

1929 - Marietta Board of Education received part of City's Income from Water, Lights & Power; rates (Ref. No. 33 Ordinances of the City of Marietta; GA Legislative Docs approved July 22, 1929, p. 1194) return

1941 - Allatoona Lake Reservoir Project was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1941 (Ref Water Resources Development by the US Army Crops of Engineers in Georgia, 1975) return

1942 - Arrival of Bell Aircraft Co. led to dramatic infrastructure improvements (Ref. Cobb County, Georgia & the Origins of the Suburban South, p. 187); US Corps of Engineers laid 20-inch permanent main from Atlanta for Bell's exclusive use--1st in the area constructed of steel rather than cast iron. return

1943 - Marietta BLW expands water system around Bell Bomber plant (Ref Kim Holland) return

1944 - Construction of the Allatoona Lake Reservoir Project, a multiple-purpose project for flood control, generation of hydroelectric power, streamflow regulation & other purposes, got underway. (Ref Water Resources Development by the US Army Crops of Engineers in Georgia, 1975) return

1950 - Allatoona Lake Reservoir Project placed in operation (Ref Water Resources Development by the US Army Corps of Engineers in Georgia, 1975) See Picture (pg 19) return

1952
April 2 - Marietta BLW signs agreement with newly formed Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority to begin buying water from them in order to provide larger supply (Ref signed contract agreement April 2, 1952) return

1954 -There were 28 identified City Wells (Ref. Marietta Water Wells - 1954) return

1955 - Allatoona Lake Reservoir Project completed (Ref Water Resources Development by the US Army Crops of Engineers in Georgia, 1975) return

1960 - Two 500,000 gallon water storage tanks put into service for water supply to the Marietta service area. One tank located at high elevation point adjacent to Kennestone Hospital and named Sugar Hill; Second tank located adjacent to the Marietta Country Club and appropriately named Redwood as access comes from Redwood Drive in Whitlock Heights.

1965 - Marietta BLW using both wells throughout the City & water from Lake Allatoona [supplied by Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority (CMWA)] to distribute to customers (Ref Kim Holland) return

1971
January 21 - Cobb County begins treating Marietta BLW's sanitary sewer so that Marietta can comply with new Clean Water Act regulations on sanitary sewer treatment processes (Ref MDJ January 21, 1971) return

1978
May 2 - State of Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division issued permit to MB LW to operate a public water system in compliance with the provisions of the Georgia Safe Drinking Water Act of 1977; City of Marietta Water Authority water tanks included Blackjack Mountain, Pine Mountain, Fort Hill, Campbell Hill, Redwood Tank, and Sessions Street (Ref State of Georgia DNR, EPD Permit No. 1033A0004) return

1994
February - William T. Berry III hired as first Marietta Board of Lights & Waterworks Utility manager

Marietta BLW amends charter to include FiberNet into corporation (Ref Kim Holland) return

1996
July 29 - Groundbreaking for new BLW headquarters to consolidate all utility services in one central location; Mayor Ansley Meaders & BLW Board Vice Chair Harry Livingston were on hand for ceremony (Ref. MDJ July 30, 1996) return

1997
June 9 - Opening of new BLW facility at 675 North Marietta Parkway; BLW Manager at time was Jim Hanson; Facility to efficiently house Marietta Power, Marietta Water & FiberNet (Ref AJC June 5, 1997) return

2000
September - Fifty-year contract approved for 2nd exclusive Water Supply Contract with Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority. return

2001
December - Fifty-year Service Area Boundary and Wastewater Treatment Agreement renewed with the Cobb County Water System. return

2004
July 29 - July 29, Marietta BLW sells FiberNet portion of corporation to American Fiber Systems (Ref BLW records) return