History
The First 150 Years
1779 - Thomas Harrison deeds "Big Spring" for Public Use.
1798 - Town Council commits $35.00 to improve Spring.
1890’s - Town lays 10 miles of 10-inch pipe to collect water from mountain sources west of Town.
1914 - Town constructs 5 million gallon reservoir at Tower Street.
1920’s - City constructs 16 million gallon reservoir at Tower Street and installs 12-inch parallel pipe to collect water from mountain sources west of Town.
1930’s - Research Service in Washington DC, designs and oversees construction of innovative underground water collection gallery at Rawley Springs.
"Modern" Improvements
1950’s - 16-inch raw water collection line is laid parallel to 10 and 12-inch lines to improve mountain water collection.
1960’s - City adds new raw water intake at Silver Lake to raw water collection system.
1970’s - City builds 5 MGD filtration plant on Grandview Drive, adds North River source at Bridgewater, Switzer Dam design modified to improve Dry River source.
1980’s - City "High Rates" filter plant to 7.7 MGD – first plant in Virginia to achieve 6 gpm/sf filter rate. Network improvements implemented to improve service capability.
1990’s - City optimizes filter rates to 8 gpm/sf – plant upgraded to 10 MGD capacity. New raw water supply studies initiated. Distribution system model developed to improve network circulation.
Forward Focus
2000 to Current Day
- Design of new intake and pump station on South Fork of Shenandoah River, and associated 24-inch pipeline.
- Upgrading filter plant to achieve 15 MGD capacity at conventional filter rates.
- 30-inch raw water collection pipe laid along Rt. 33 to improve collection of raw water sources, enabling conversion of existing raw water pipes to finished water for Dale Enterprise area.
- Finished water storage improvements to replace open reservoirs and improve system hydraulics.
- Construction of new backwash settling tank to improve water plant residuals management.
- Enhancing computer model to facilitate plan review and system management.
