In July 2011, the Town of Erie Department of Public Works installed high efficiency solar-powered water circulators in the Town's reservoirs. Increased circulation of the water in the reservoirs will improve the quality of the Town's raw water supply allowing staff to make adjustments in the operations of the Water Treatment Facility with minimal impact to our customers.
Other benefits of the water circulators include:
- Improves water quality and aesthetics
- Improves dissolved oxygen and pH levels
- Reduces differences in water chemistry and taste between raw water sources
- Prevents and controls blue-green algae blooms
- Reduces invasive aquatic weed growth
BACKGROUND: As part of routine operations to accommodate raw water storage of annual spring runoff, each year the Town of Erie Department of Public Works makes adjustments to its raw water sources entering the Town's Water Treatment Facility. During these adjustment periods the water remains safe to drink; however, residents sometimes notice a change in taste to their water which is due to differences in water chemistry between the Town's various raw water sources. In response to customer complaints concerning a change in taste to the Town's drinking water during this year's spring runoff, Department of Public Works Staff determined installation of the water circulators as one option to improve overall raw water quality.