We are launching a new blog series about AWWA's Water Landmark Award winners! The purpose of the award is to recognize and preserve an American, Canadian, or Mexican Water Landmark at least 50 years old that has had a direct and significant relationship with water supply, treatment, distribution, or technological development. We will highlight those award winners in this series.
Today's featured Water Landmark: City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Plant in Michigan, a 2018 winner.
This plant has been treating drinking water for almost 80 years. Here is information from it's Water Landmark Award application as to why it's a valuable asset to the community:
"The City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Plant has a rated capacity of 50 million gallons per day and currently produces an average of approximately 14 million gallons per day. The City’s Water Treatment Plant remains the only water treatment facility in the City of Ann Arbor after 131 years. Continued maintenance and investment will keep the City’s water system a valuable asset for many years to come."
This plant was build in 1937-1938 and was expanded three times - in 1949, which brought its capacity to 22 million gallons per day (MGD); in 1964, which bumped its capacity to 33 MGD and then finally in 1974, which brought its capacity to where it's at today, 50 MGD. The plant relies on surface water (the nearby Huron River) and groundwater.
Visit the City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Plant's webpage to learn more.
*Photos courtesy of the City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Plant.