Edison’s Water Systems

Edison’s Water Systems. . , When Edison created plans for his Florida retreat in 1885, water was a major concern to supplement the shallow well at the existing Caretaker’s House. This may have been dug for the Summerlin family before Edison purchased the property., By 1887 Edison provided water to the Caretaker’s House via a windmill, which pumped water from the well to a storage tank perched on a tower. At the same time, a water tank was placed at the first lab to provide the water that ran the steam boiler for the electricity-producing generator. It is also believed that cisterns were located at both houses., In 1902 Edison began to create an extensive and formal water system for the property. A well was dug next to the lab to provide a more direct route for water to power the steam boiler. Between 1903 and 1908 several other well/elevated tank/pumping systems were placed around the Caretaker’s House. Two artesian wells were dug. Pipes were laid all around the grounds to provide water for the homes for domestic use as well as food crop irrigation. A sprinkler system was also installed to maintain an improved Florida garden. A fire sandpipe system was installed in 1909 and used until a Pyrene system and chemical extinguishers were placed at the Estate in 1919., In 1919 a large concrete cistern (40,000 gallons) was built to capture rainwater for drinking only. By 1929 city water was hooked up to riverside property. However, a new system incorporating the old deep well and a rainwater tank with a grid for drainage ditches was constructed on the east property to supply water for Edison Botanic Research project.