WATER TREATMENT
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Water Treatment Plant
Superintendent: Scott Pifher spifher@willardohio.us Asst Superintendent: Bob Niedermier bniedermier@willardohio.us 540 Central Ave Willard, OH 44890 Phone: 419.933.4001 MISSION STATEMENTTo provide the community with an abundant and continuous supply of clean and safe drinking water for human consumption, recreational activities, fire protection, and industrial use.
ABOUT THE PLANTThe City of Willard owns and operates a Class III surface water treatment plant with a design capacity of 3.2 MGD (million gallons per day). The plant was originally constructed in 1970, and was upgraded in 2004. The water plant currently produces an average of 1.3 MGD to supply the population of Willard, the Village of Plymouth, and Northern Ohio Rural Water. The raw water source is the West Branch of the Huron River. Raw water from the river is pumped to a 215-acre upground reservoir that holds 2.3 billion gallons. Algae in the reservoir is closely monitored and kept under control by using copper and peroxide-based chemicals. Sodium permanganate is added as the water is pumped from the reservoir to aid in the removal of taste and odor causing compounds and to keep zebra mussels from entering the 3-mile long raw water line that brings the raw water to the water treatment plant.
As the water enters the plant, ferric chloride is added as a coagulant and powder activated carbon (PAC) is added for taste and odor removal. During the treatment process phosphate is added for corrosion control, along with fluoride to promote healthy teeth and fight tooth decay. After filtration, a process that involves four 225 ft² rapid sand filters, the water is disinfected using chlorine, the pH of the water is adjusted with sodium hydroxide and the finished water is collected in two water storage tanks (clearwells) with each holding 750,000 gallons for a total of 1.5 million gallons. The water is then pumped to the distribution system (approximately 55 miles of water mains) and to two elevated storage tanks (water towers) with a total storage capacity of 1.3 million gallons that supply the citizens of Willard with clean, safe, potable drinking water. PLANT HISTORYThe Water Department began October 7, 1897. Council passed Ordinance # 137 to issue bonds in the sum of $25,000 for the water system.The Water Plant was then built in 1898. Mr. C. H. Hevey was the first Water Plant Superintendent.
In May of 1998, the Willard Water Plant was selected out of 6,000 Water Plants in Ohio to receive the "Outstanding Public Water System Award." The Willard Water Plant can be viewed in the newly published "History of Ohio's Water Systems" by J. Douglas Brookhart and Alvin Wansing. GIANT PERCH CAUGHT AT THE RESERVOIR
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