In 1908, Jersey City, New Jersey, became the first major city in the United States to implement continuous, large-scale chlorination of its public drinking water supply. This groundbreaking public health initiative aimed to eliminate waterborne diseases and improve overall sanitation. The successful introduction of chlorination set a precedent for water treatment practices across the country, significantly enhancing public health standards.

The chlorination of public water supplies in 1908 drastically improved urban health, influencing Modernist poets to envision cleaner, more structured municipal life. This shift allowed poets like T.S. Eliot to explore the complexities of modern existence against a backdrop of urban renewal.