Washington Park Sewage Pumping Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Washington Park Sewage Pumping Station
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Rhode Island
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Providence, Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Built | 1912 |
| Architect | Office of City Engineer, Providence |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals |
| MPS | Public Works and Utilities--Sewage Treatment Facilities in Providence, 1895–1935 TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 88003107 |
| Added to NRHP | January 13, 1989 |
The Washington Park Sewage Pumping Station is an important building in Providence, Rhode Island. It helps manage wastewater for the city. The main part you can see is a concrete building covered in stucco, with a sloped roof. It measures about 16 by 16 feet (4.9 m × 4.9 m).
This building sits on top of a large concrete well. Inside this well are pumps and special valves that move water. The station was built in 1911. Its job was to pump wastewater from the lower parts of Washington Park to the Field's Point wastewater treatment center. This treatment center is about 1,000 feet (300 m) north of the pumping station. The pump station is set back from the street, behind a smaller brick building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
How the Pumping Station Works
The Washington Park Pumping Station helps move wastewater from homes and streets. Wastewater is water that has been used and needs to be cleaned. This station makes sure that dirty water from the Washington Park area gets to a special cleaning plant.
The pumps inside the station lift the wastewater. This is important because the Washington Park area is low. The cleaning plant at Field's Point is higher up. So, the pumps push the water uphill to the treatment facility.
History of the Pumping Station
The Washington Park Sewage Pumping Station was designed by engineers in Providence. Otis F. Clapp was the main City Engineer at the time. Frederick O. Clapp, an Assistant Engineer, also helped oversee the building of the station.
The pumping station was built to serve an area of about 83 acres (34 ha). It was planned to help up to six thousand people. It also handles storm drainage, which is rainwater that flows into the sewers.
The sewer system for the Washington Park area was ordered in July 1912. It was finished by October 1913. By the end of 1913, the sewer system connected to the pump was quite long. It included about 3.25 miles (5.2 km) of regular sewers. There were also about 0.75 miles (1.2 km) of storm drain sewers. Another 0.25 miles (0.4 km) of sewer connected the pump to the Field's Point plant.
In 1915, the station pumped a lot of wastewater. It was estimated to be about 17,000,000 US gallons (64,000,000 L) of sewage. About 225 houses were connected to this sewer system. People noticed that having a good sewer system made the area more popular. It even led to a demand for "higher quality homes" in Washington Park.
Why This Station Is Important
The Washington Park Sewage Pumping Station is important for many reasons. It shows how Providence planned its community. It also shows how the city developed its systems for treating wastewater as it grew.
The Washington Park area became part of Providence again in 1868. But it didn't have many buildings until public transportation made it easier to get to. More and more homes were built from the late 1890s to the 1930s. This growth meant the city needed to extend its sewer system.
This pumping station is a great example of city planning for wastewater treatment. It has worked well for a long time. Its strong structure has also lasted for many years. Because of its importance, the facility was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
