While many may be aware that Cady Springs located three miles west of Susanville in the Susan River Canyon is a major source of the City’s water supply. It was initially known as Big Springs. On March 28, 1864, Susanville resident Luther Spencer filed rights to Big Springs with the intent as future water supply for the town. At that time, the source for Susanville’s water came from Piute Creek. Spencer’s good intention never came to fruition.
In 1869, a group of Susanville residents formed the Susanville Water Works with the same proposal as Spencer. Their first priority was to survey a ditch to convey the water, which they did. When they reached out to the community to raise funds to construct the ditch, they found none. In due diligence, in 1872, a initial work began on the ditch, and thus Susanville’s new water supply.
In 1896, Frank Cady purchased the Susanville Water Works and owned it until 1930 when he sold to the Republic Electric Power Company and it was in the era when the springs became known as Cady.