Tacoma Public Utilities is just that, public. We’re owned by you, the people. Tacomans voted to buy the utility back in 1893, a feat that took financial backing and foresight. Since then, we have worked together to create amazing things and weather serious storms.
A perfect example is in 1954, when Tacoma Water was about to go belly up. We were using 3X as much water as San Francisco, but without a way to track it, we didn’t know why. We were losing money as fast as Tacoma was pumping it from the wells. We needed water meters, which cost a lot. Without increasing rates to pay for meters, Tacoma Water would run dry.
Public meetings were held to explain the situation, and after, the city council voted to approve a 30 percent rate hike and installation of meters. Tacoma, you saved us.
One third of Tacoma had leaky pipes, something that would have never been caught without meters. Our daily water use dropped swiftly. We went from 55 million gallons a day to 48 million gallons a day over the course of 6 years. 
It’s incredible, and we know there are stories from families that remember.
Listen as two customers remember growing up under the new “family rules” around water use:

Annie Pantzke