ERIE, PA, Nov. 1, 2013 -- The largest retrofitted membrane filtration water treatment plant in the United States will soon open in the city of Erie, Pa.
The Wasielewski Water Treatment Plant received $42 million in renovations, with a filtration capacity of more than 45 million gallons per day. Likewise, the new membrane filters reduce water turbidity levels -- the measurement of particles in the water -- to as low as 0.004 NTU (units of turbidity), making it the cleanest water available from a municipal supplier and staying well ahead of water quality standards. Other benefits of the new system include higher reliability and reduced need for chemicals in the purification process.
Erie Water Works (EWW) will host a special event commemorating the grand opening of the Wasielewski Water Treatment Plant on November 3, 2013, at 2 p.m., at the facility. The event will begin with opening remarks from Paul Vojtek, EWW CEO, and will be followed by a brief tour for invited guests and local media.
"In addition to providing the best water available to Erie Water Works customers, it's important to understand that nearly 270 local workers were employed on this project. The Erie region benefitted when, through the bidding process, all four main contracts were awarded to local companies, which pumped more than $27 million into the local economy during the two plus years of construction," says Vojtek.
Besides representing a substantial investment in the local economy, the upgraded state-of-the-art membrane filtration system allows EWW to deliver its customers cleaner water than ever before.
"The future of the Wasielewski Plant is that it will be the primary water treatment plant for decades to come. With the new backup power generation and the state-of-the-art membrane filtration, the people of Northwestern Pennsylvania can rest assured that they will have high quality water delivered to their homes and businesses," says Vojtek.
About Erie Water Works
Erie Water Works has been serving the Erie community and surrounding areas for more than 20 years, assuming operations of the Erie Water Systems on January 1, 1992. The Water Works Board Authority is an independent organization whose goal is to operate, maintain and rehabilitate the water system for the Erie, Pennsylvania region while providing service at an affordable cost. Working together to make a difference, Erie Water Works employees stand by the community they work for and their Mission Statement: “To guarantee a continuous, uninterrupted, reasonably priced supply of quality water to EWW customers, which assures public health while promoting regional stability and future development.” Visit http://www.eriewater.org for more information.
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