NEW Water: Our History at a Glance - Magazine - Page 7
The Harvest
of Water
Ice harvesting was a big business for the region during
the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Fish houses, butchers, and breweries were
significant local users of the ice to preserve freshness.
Citizens also kept some food items cooled by
purchasing smaller blocks from the roving, horsedrawn carts that served the neighborhoods.
In the early 1900s, there were indications of water
quality problems when consumers complained of bad
odors and taste from ice that had been harvested on
the local rivers and Bay of Green Bay. As a result, the
City Council passed legislation prohibiting the harvest
of ice on the East River at locations immediately
downstream of any sanitary sewer outlets.
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