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pumps were"expected to be able to meet any and all emergencies in supplying water to Elk
<br /> River village for many years to come,"according to a newspaper report.66
<br /> The pumps were overwhelmed,however,by the boom of the 1950s,when population within
<br /> village boundaries increased by 26 percent, and the township grew by 44 percent. This surge
<br /> necessitated an overhaul of the water supply system by 1960. The $190,000 improvement project
<br /> included a new 100,000-gallon water tank, hundreds of feet of water mains, an iron and
<br /> manganese removal facility, and a new 40-horsepower water pump with a capacity of 650
<br /> gallons per minute.67
<br /> The community's growth also challenged the electric system. The problem was compounded by
<br /> increased per capita use of electricity. Postwar prosperity filled new homes with lights, television
<br /> sets, toasters, refrigerators, and other appliances. Offices gained air conditioning, copying
<br /> machines, electric typewriters, and other equipment powered by electricity. In response, the
<br /> Utility upgraded lines to handle heavier loads. In 1957, for example, the Utility tripled the
<br /> capacity of lines in Elk River's business district by replacing heavy copper wire with aluminum
<br /> cable. Although the lines were not buried, as initially hoped,the $19,400 project rerouted most
<br /> lines behind buildings where they were less visible. New lines also stretched across the
<br /> Mississippi River. The lines were supported by modern insulators designed to reduce static
<br /> electricity,which interfered with radio transmission. Planning for the project was mostly done
<br /> in-house by Utility's staff. The installation was completed by the Donavan Construction
<br /> Company.68
<br /> The new lines, in turn, demanded more power than Elk River's system could produce. In the
<br /> early 1960s, a reporter noted that"the existing equipment at the municipal plant has not been of
<br /> sufficient capacity for some time to meet maximum loads."One solution might have been to
<br /> merge with a larger operation,but the Commission was determined to keep the Utilities
<br /> independent. It rebuffed a purchase offer from Northern States Power Company in 1958.
<br /> Instead, the Commission began investigating the cost of a new engine and generator. It also
<br /> considered purchasing more power from the RCPA.69
<br /> In the final analysis, the greatest long-term benefits appeared to be gained by expanding
<br /> generating capacity. On March 6, 1961, the Commission voted to buy a dual-fuel 2,500-kilowatt
<br /> engine from Cooper-Bessemer for$400,785. The recent installation of a natural gas system in
<br /> Elk River made this fuel available in large quantities for the first time. Compared dollar for
<br /> dollar, natural gas could produce twice as much power as diesel. The new engine could be
<br /> switched to diesel, however, if the gas supply was restricted or grew too expensive. The Utility
<br /> anticipated saving about $500,000 over ten years, which would completely pay back the
<br /> investment in equipment and plant expansion. The engine's useful life was estimated to be
<br /> twenty-five years. Since the engine was most efficient under a high load,the Utility planned to
<br /> 66"New Rotary Pump to End Water Lack,"Sherburne County Star News, [1951?].
<br /> 67 Population statistics are from published reports of the eighteenth federal census. See also Elk River Municipal
<br /> Utilities Commission Minutes,March 3, 1951;"New Rotary Pump to End Water Lack";"Utilities Reports$190,000
<br /> in Water Works Improvements in'60,"Sherburne County Star News,c. 1960.
<br /> 68"New Distribution System Increases Electric Capacity,"[1957].
<br /> 69 Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission Minutes,March 4, 1958,May 6, 1958,and March 6, 1961;"Utilities
<br /> Plans Purchase of 2500 KW Generating Unit,"Sherburne County Star News,c. 1961.
<br /> 88
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