Buckeye Water District - Part 3

When last writing about the new facilities for the Buckeye Water District we left off at the new pump station. It was a little over a month ago and for that I apologize for taking so long to get back.

From the pump station a 36" outside diameter water line goes out through the Save-A-Lot parking lot and across Wells Avenue. From there it travels up Wells Hollow Road, makes a left on to Township Line Road and all the way out and across Route 45.

After crossing Route 45 the line enters the old Patterson Farm on the other side and goes up the hill to the new reservoir. District Manager Al DeAngelis told me a 36" line wasn't really necessary but the whole project was designed to handle future expansion. From the raw water intake to the finished product going out to district customers everything is in place. It will never have to be revisited for expansion. It was initially a little costlier to build but in the long run it will save the district money with future expansion. That will also save money for us customers.

A good example of that future expansion is supplying water to the Village of Salineville. Since going on-line BWD has picked up Salineville as a new customer. With the foresight put into building the new system they are already more than half way done with supplying that village with a new source of water. Instead of being years and years away it is estimated that Salineville is only 16 months away for the EPA mandated new water source.

The man made reservoir pictured above is now the highest spot on the old farm. It has a bottom made of fine clay that will prevent water from seeping out. Standing on the bank it appears only to be a moderately sized lake but that is visually deceiving. That reservoir is 35 feet deep and has the capacity to hold eight million gallons of water. To put that into perspective there are many places on the river that are only six or eight feet deep. Some two story houses aren't 35 feet tall from ground level to the roof top.

Behind the reservoir are two sludge ponds, also pictured above, that are holding ponds for sludge removed from the raw water in the reservoir. These are called five year ponds. They are so called because at least every five years they are cleaned out. What is cleaned out is taken to EPA approved disposal sites. Only one will be used at a time when it's time for cleaning.

From the reservoir gravity takes over for moving the raw water into the treatment plant on the other side. In fact, gravity is the only force used in moving treated water from the treatment plant to BWD customers. There are no pumps used once the water leaves the reservoir. That's the back side of the treatment plant as seen from the reservoir road.

One of DeAngelis' many pride & joys is that green roof you see on the treatment plant. It is constructed of stainless steel. The materials for the roof was produced by Follansbee Steel and other than an occasional painting there will never be any maintenance required for it. That was another touch of insight used in the designing and building plans.

Next up is the treatment plant.

ole nib