Indiana American Water recently announced it has placed its new Hidden Lake water treatment facility in service while work continues on several other components of the $25 million project.
The project is to enhance water quality, improve system reliability and enable the company to continue to meet the needs of its customers in the area. The new treatment facility has been under construction for nearly a year on the city’s north side.
“Indiana American Water marked a major milestone Wednesday afternoon when we began sending water into the distribution system from our new water treatment facility in Warsaw,” said Warsaw District Superintendent Chris Harrison.
“The significant investment we’re making in this community will provide numerous benefits to our customers for many decades to come.”
Harrison said as water from the new facility makes its way through the distribution system, customers will see much improved water quality as they begin to remove the naturally-occurring iron and manganese from the source water.
“As a part of this project, work will also continue on several other system enhancements over the next several weeks and months,” Harrison said.
Several main replacement projects also got underway this week to replace older, obsolete sections of water main in Warsaw.
The four projects, which represent a nearly $925,000 investment, will increase system flows to enhance fire protection capabilities and improve system reliability.
The four projects include: Columbia Street from Winona Avenue to Prairie Street – replacing the existing 4-inch water main with a new 8-inch main; Washington Street from just south of Jefferson Street to Prairie Street and Prairie Street from Washington Street to the first alley to the east-replacing the existing 2-inch water mains with a new 8-inch main and adding a new fire hydrant in the area.
Other projects include Winona Avenue from Buffalo Street to Detroit Street, Detroit Street from Winona Avenue to Pope Street and Buffalo Street from Bass Street to Eagle Creek-replacing the existing 4-inch water mains with a new 8-inch main and installing new hydrants and valves. The project includes Maple Street from Fort Wayne Street to Clark Street – replacing the existing 1.25-inch water main with a new 8-inch main.
Some minor daytime traffic restrictions will be in place as conditions require in the main replacement project areas. All work is scheduled for completion by the end of this year.
Other work taking place this month as a part of the system improvements include: raising an elevated water storage tank located at Boggs Industrial Park to improve system pressures and fire flows in the area.
The tank will be raised to a new height of 166 feet, or an additional 32 feet above the current elevation, reducing the number of pressure zones currently in place in the Warsaw system from four to two this week.
Customers in Warsaw’s downtown area should see an improvement in water pressure. Customers may notice some water discoloration while this work is underway.
If customers notice their water is discolored, they should refrain from doing laundry or using their dishwasher until the water has cleared up. The company is recommending they open up several cold-water faucets for a short time until the water runs clear.
Indiana American Water purchased the Warsaw system in 2000 as part of an acquisition of four properties around the state.
A Comprehensive Planning Study completed last year identified a number of upgrades and improvements that are essential to enhancing customer service by improving water quality, safety, reliability and efficiency of the Warsaw system.
The improvements will enhance water quality by removing iron and manganese through the new treatment processes.
The project used a design-build concept to bring together construction and design professionals in a collaborative effort to enhance the quality of the finished project and to more effectively control project costs.
The design team of Hazen and Sawyer and River City Construction was selected to design and construct the new facilities.
The project employed several “green building” design features and will be submitted for Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design certification upon completion.
Green buildings use key resources more efficiently when compared to conventional buildings which are simply built to code.
Average annual demand at the Warsaw operation is approximately 2.6 million gallons per day with peaks as high as 4.17 million gallons per day.
The new plant and related system improvements will provide up to six million gallons per day with the capability to expand to nine million gallons per day as future demand requires.
Indiana American Water serves more than 4,600 customers, or a population of more than 16,000, in its Warsaw service area.
