The Connoquenessing Creek is the primary source of supply for the new water treatment plant
Image: The Connoquenessing Creek serves as the primary source of supply and the Beaver River as the secondary source for the new facility. Photo: Courtesy of winnond at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
Pennsylvania American Water announced that it has completed the $50m (£40m) Ellwood Water Treatment Plant and customers will begin receiving water from the week of August 5, 2019.
Ellwood Water Treatment facility is located in New Beaver Borough and serves approximately 18,000 customers in southern Lawrence and Butler Counties and north-eastern Beaver County.
Pennsylvania American Water president Jeffrey McIntyre said: “We’re extremely proud of this new investment that ensures our Ellwood Treatment plant customers continue to receive high quality drinking water today – and for years to come. The new plant was designed to produce a higher quality of drinking water that will meet, or exceed, all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.”
The existing 110-year old Ellwood Water Treatment Plant reached the end of its life span
Constructed in 1909, the existing facility had capacity and reliability limitations. The new plant has increased production capacity, improved reliability and provides enhanced safety for the company’s employees.
The company said that it has designed the new facility to be expandable and its processes scalable to meet the future demands and economic development of surrounding communities.
In addition, it has made significant investments to upgrade local water mains and other system infrastructure for the new plant and improve service.
McIntyre added, “There’s nothing that can replace the local pride that western Pennsylvanians bring to their jobs, and we wanted that dedication on this project. Our team and local contractors worked together to provide an economic boost to the region in support of this modern water treatment plant.”
The Connoquenessing Creek serves as the primary source of supply and the Beaver River as the secondary source for the new facility.
The treatment process of the plant has been designed specifically for the water characteristics of the Beaver River and the Connoquenessing Creek to ensure the water quality meets regulatory standards.
Pennsylvania American Water has selected Orleans-based Reynolds Construction as the primary contractor and Pittsburgh-based Mascaro Construction as the subcontractor for the project.