Conservative Water Company.

The Conservative Water Company was a water supply company in the neighborhood of Watts, within Los Angeles, California. Originally named Conservative Realty Company, this company was founded by W.C. Elderton and it served the Watts community selling land on the Burkhard home tract. In 1904, the company got into the water supply business; supplying water at a rate of 75 cents with 5000 gallons as the maximum water used. In 1910, the company raised its rate to $1.25 with maximum limit of 8000 gallons of water. By 1913, the company wanted to raise its rate again, but the California State Railroad Commission denied the company the ability to do so. The California Public Utilities Act of 1912 gave the State Railroad Commission the power to regulate all public utilities, including water companies, telephone companies, and railroads. This law basically stunted the company's desire to continuously raise its rates. Wilmer W. Pedder became president of the company in the 1920s, and changed the name of the company to the Conservative Water Company. Pedder died of heart disease in 1932 and Otto B. Frank became the new president. In 1933, an earthquake devastated the company's water supply, and according to the company records, it struggled to stay afloat. Its water supply was constantly monitored by the California Department of Public Health and the California State Board of Public Health. By the 1950s, Elizabeth E. Pedder became president of the company with her brother, Theodore B. Pedder, serving as secretary. The company continued to have problems and in August, 1967, the Department of Water and Power purchased the utilities company.