January 1, 2012 Marks the Erie Water Works 20th Anniversary!

January 4, 2012

January 1, 2012 Marks the Erie Water Works 20th Anniversary!
On January 1st Erie City Water Authority, a.k.a. the Erie Water Works (EWW) celebrated its 20th Anniversary as an independent municipal authority. When formed, the EWW was tasked with the monumental challenge of upgrading and modernizing an aging water system while delivering quality water at an affordable rate. Over the last 20 years the expense of maintaining a water system has continually escalated. During this time the EWW has worked diligently toward growth and expansion while improving efficiency, quality and storage, all while maintaining some of the most affordable water rates in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
True to its mission, the EWW has met its challenges head on with an aggressive capital improvement program. By the end of 2010 the EWW had invested more than 150 million dollars into upgrading, and expanding the water system. A few of the examples of the capital improvements and system upgrades over the last 20 years include four new storage facilities, four new pumping stations, City-wide metering, cleaning and relining water mains, major facility improvements, proactive system maintenance programs, rehabilitation of the Chestnut Street Water Treatment Plant, and the addition of emergency standby power generation at the Richard S. Wasielewski Water Treatment Plant (RSW WTP) and the Sigsbee Pump Station, as well as an extension of the water system into McKean.
The latest reflection of EWW’s commitment to improving the water system is its largest project to date. The EWW’s Richard S. Wasielewski Water Treatment Plant located in Millcreek Township is in the midst of a 40 million dollar project to upgrade from conventional filtration to membrane filtration. Membrane filtration is considered the most advanced and cost effective water treatment system available today and will help EWW meet the anticipated new federal water treatment standards, lower pretreatment costs and deliver exceptionally high quality water to its customers.
With these improvements the Erie Water Works has stayed true to its mission “To guarantee a continuous, uninterrupted, reasonably priced supply of quality water to its customers which assures public health while promoting regional stability and future growth”.
The EWW would like to thank its customers and community for their support and looks forward to our continued success as one of the region’s industry leaders.
For more information (and photos) of our first 20 years please click on the link Pipeline December 30, 2011 – Special 20 Year Edition and read the 20th anniversary Pipeline news letter that was distributed to the EWW employees with their final pay check of 2011.