THE WATER MINING OF LAKE ERIE

http://www.oregonohio.org/Water/water-plant.html
Superintendent of Water Treatment - Janiece Schmidt

Built in 1963, The Oregon Water Treatment System consists of the following sections:

Intake

Located in Lake Erie about 16 feet deep and 1.5 miles from shore is Oregon's intake crib. The Crib is totally submerged and connected to the City's Low Pressure Pumping Station located near Anchor Point Marina. The intake line is 48 inches in diameter and draws millions of gallons of water out of the lake for use by the citizens of Oregon and surrounding communities.

Low Pressure Pumping Station

After lake water flows into the Low Pressure Pumping Station through the raw water intake line, the water is pumped the water treatment plant. The pump station can be either locally or remotely operated by signals sent from the water treatment plant if required. The pumps located at the station range from 8 million gallons per day (MGD) to 17.2 MGD. Activated carbon can be fed at this location to address taste and odor causing agents in the raw water. The building also contains an auxiliary power plant capable of generating total electrical power for the station. Since the onset of the Zebra Mussel infestation in Lake Erie, it is necessary to feed a polymer or potassium permanganate to limit their growth in the intake conduit, the low pressure force main and the suction wells.

Treatment Plant

Raw water is transported from the Low Pressure Pumping Station to the Water Treatment Plant through 5 miles of 36 inch diameter pipe. The plant has been expanded to treat 16 million gallons of water per day (667,000 gallons per hour), and we've also upgraded our security. Continual monitoring of the chemical feeders and raw water by the plant's operators insures optimal treatment of the water. Lime and caustic soda for softening, alum for coagulation, carbon dioxide for neutralizing excess lime in solution and chlorine for disinfection are the primary parts of the treatment. Fluoride is also added in one of the final stages. The water is filtered through 8 rapid sand filters, then stored in 2 underground clear water reservoirs with a combined capacity of 7.5 million gallons. The main treatment plant also has an auxiliary power generator that will allow the plant to run uninterrupted should the normal power supply not be available. The water can be drawn out of the clearwater reservoirs with any of the 6 high pressure pumps that pump into the distribution system. These pumps range from 2 MGD to 8 MGD.

Distribution System

The elevated water storage tank near Coy and Navarre can hold 1 million gallons of water. This tank is connected to the water plant through a 15 mile loop of pipes which range from 48 inches to 20 inches in diameter. Tied into this main loop, or trunk lines, are many more lines which reduce in size to a diameter of 6 inches. These smaller lines are, for the most part, where the consumers tap in for their water. There are approximately 125 miles of underground water lines that continually carry water to the consumers.

Expansion

The City of Oregon has completed a five phase approach to expand the plant to 16 million gallons per day.

Phase 1 was the construction of an additional 8 MGD of new filter capacity and installation of a new 8 MGD high pressure pump. This phase was completed in September 2001.

Phase 2 was by far the largest phase and increased the plant capacity to 12 MGD. It includes a new chemical building and 4 MGD additional flocculation and settling capacity in addition to new chemical feeders. This phase was completed in August 2002.

Phase 3 was not to increase the capacity, but to update the existing plant's basin design and feeders. The additional capacity from Phase 2 allowed the original plant to be drained and the work done. This phase was completed in March 2004.

Phase 4 completed the plant expansion and brought the capacity up to 16 MGD with an additional 4 MGD of flocculation and settling basins added to the Phase 2 chemical building. This Phase was completed in December 2004.

Phase 5 was the installation of a computer system capable of performing many tasks. It will handle data by collection, logging and charting when necessary. It also automated some routine plant functions. Changes in the required dosages of the various feeders are made from a central console. It monitors water quality parameters and provides alarms before action levels are exceeded. This project was completed in May 2005.