Metropolitan Water Market Development: Seattle, Washington, 1887–1987
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 114, Issue 2
Abstract
In many metropolitan areas it is common for a large central city to sell water to many of its surrounding suburban communities. In the Seattle, Washington metropolitan region, the city (population 494,000) provides water to 34 suburban cities and water districts with a total population of roughly 596,000. The development of this water market has its origins in the geographic pattern of metropolitan population and institutional development, water law, the economies of scale of water production, and the economic scarcity of clean, inexpensive water sources. Management and long‐range planning for such a system are reviewed and the advantages and disadvantages of this market system for Seattle and its customers are discussed. The de facto regionalization of the metropolitan water supply is contrasted with the de jure regionalization of metropolitan Seattle's wastewater system, which is managed jointly by the region's governments.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Alonso, W. (1960). “A theory of the urban land market.” Papers and Proc. Regional Sci. Assoc., 6, 149–157.
2.
Andriot, J. L. (1983). Population abstract of the United States. Vol. 1, Andriot Associates, McLean, Va.
3.
Benedett, A. J., Sloan, G., Hamlin, C. W., and Woodhed, A. E., Jr. (1970). “Expanding to serve metropolitan systems.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 62(1), 31–37.
4.
Blake, N. M. (1956). Water for the cities: a history of the urban water supply problem in the United States. Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, N.Y.
5.
Burgess, E. W. (1925). “The growth of the city.” The City, R. E. Park and E. W. Burgess, eds., University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Ill., 47–62.
6.
Capen, C. H. (1975). “Real or rash regionalization.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 67(10), 588–590.
7.
Clark, C. (1951). “Urban population densities.” J. Royal Stat. Soc., London, England, A, 114, 490–496.
8.
Clark, R. M. (1976). “Cost and pricing relationships in water supply.” J. Envir. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 102(2), 361–373.
9.
Clark, R. M. (1982). “Cost estimating for conventional water treatment.” J. Envir. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 108(5), 819–834.
10.
Clark, R. M., and Stevie, R. G. (1981). “A water supply cost model incorporating spatial variables.” Land Economics, 57(1), 18–32.
11.
COMPLAN regional water plan. (1980). Seattle Water Department, Seattle, Wash.
12.
Dawes, J. H. (1970). “Tools for water‐resource study.” J. Irrig. and Drainage Div., ASCE, 96(4), 403–424.
13.
Durfor, C. N., and Becker, E. (1964). “Public water supplies of the 100 largest cities in the United States, 1962.” U.S.G.S. Water‐Supply Paper 1812, U.S. Government Printing Office: Washington, D.C.
14.
Eheart, J. W., and Lyon, R. M. (1983). “Alternative structures for water right markets.” Water Resour. Res., 19(4), 887–894.
15.
Galishoff, S. (1980). “Triumph and failure: the American response to the urban water supply problem, 1860–1923.” Pollution and reform in American cities, 1870–1930, M. V. Melosi, ed., University of Texas Press, Austin, Tex., 35–58.
16.
Getches, D. H. (1984). Water law. West Publishing Co., St. Paul, Minn.
17.
Hartman, L. M., and Seastone, D. (1970). Water transfers: economic efficiency and alternative institutions, (Resources for the future). Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, Md.
18.
Howe, C. H., Schurmeier, D. R., and Shaw, W. D., Jr. (1986). “Innovative approaches to water allocation: the potential for water markets.” Water Resour. Res., 22(4), 439–445.
19.
Hurd, M. (1979). “Regionalization opportunities and obstacles: a case study.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 71(12), 713–719.
20.
Isard, W. (1956). Location and space‐economy. MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass.
21.
Lamb, J. (1914). The Seattle municipal water plant: historical, descriptive, statistical. Seattle Water Department, Seattle, Wash.
22.
McWilliams, M. (1955). Seattle water department history: 1854–1954. Seattle Water Department, Seattle, Wash.
23.
Muller, P. O. (1976). “The outer city: geographical consequences of the urbanization of the suburbs.” Resource Paper No. 75‐2, Association of American Geographers, Washington, D.C.
24.
Nesson, F. L. (1983). Great watery: a history of Boston's water supply. University Press of New England, Hanover, N.H.
25.
Newling, B. E. (1966). “Urban growth and spatial structure: mathematical models and empirical evidence.” Geograph. Rev., 56, 213–225.
26.
Remus, G. J., McRae, R. B., and Medbery, H. C. (1968). “Rate problems in serving metropolitan areas.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 60(10), 1109–1121.
27.
Seattle Times. (1986). “Taming a Bellevue budget ‘monster’.” Nov. 22, A17.
28.
Seitlel, H. F., and Cleasby, J. L. (1966). “Statistical analysis of water works data for 1960.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 58(12), 1507–1527.
29.
Teaford, J. C. (1979). City and suburb: the political fragmentation of metropolitan America, 1850–1970. Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore, Md.
30.
Thomson, R. H. (1950). That man Thomson, University of Washington Press, Seattle, Wash.
31.
von Thunen, J. (1826). Der isolierte staat in beziehung auf landwirtschaft und nationalekonomie, Hamburg, W. Germany.
32.
Walski, T. M., and Pelliccia, A. (1981). “Preliminary design and cost estimating for reservoir projects.” Water Resour. Bull., 17(1), 49–56.
33.
Yeates, M., and Garner, B. (1976). The North American city, Harper and Row, New York, N.Y.
34.
Zepp vs. Mayor and Council of Athens. (1986). Court of Appeals of Georgia, Jul. 16.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 1988 ASCE.
History
Published online: Mar 1, 1988
Published in print: Mar 1988
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.