source, the city purchased or otherwise gained control of of land and placed it under the jurisdiction of the Department of Health and Sanitation. The city also established an extensive system of reservoirs within city limits. By 1919, six reservoirs had a combined capacity of . In 1950, the city owned "about two-thirds" of the watershed, the federal government "about one-fourth"; the remainder, "around eleven square miles," was owned by private lumber companies. Seattle has at times contracted to provide water for entities outside of city limits. In recent decades, the Seattle Regional Water System has significantly improved conservation. 2008 usage was roughly equal to usage in 1960, despite roughly a 35% increase in population over that period. From 1990 to 2012 total water usage declined 29%, despite a population increase of 17%. Garbage management SPU operates two waste sorting facilities: the North Transfer Station in Wallingford and the South Transfer Station in South Park. Both facilities were opened in the 1960s and rebuilt in the 2010s to handle greater volumes and include environmentally friendly features. Garbage from Seattle is shipped out via train to the Columbia Ridge Landfill near Arlington, Oregon. See also Utilities of Seattle Government and politics of Seattle Notes References . This is a public domain source, because it was published in the U.S. before 1923. . External links Seattle Public Utilities website Seattle Water Quality Annual Reports Government of Seattle Recycling industry Water companies of the United States Waste management companies of the United States Public utilities of the United States American companies established in 1997 Public utilities established in 1997 1997 establishments in Washington (state)