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Western Springs water plant rehab almost finished
Updated: December 24, 2012 6:29AM
WESTERN SPRINGS — The Western Springs water plant project, which was started in the fall of 2011, is scheduled to be completed in January 2013. The rehabilitation of the water plant is being done so that water will be processed by reverse osmosis. That process rids water of many contaminants and minerals; it is thought by many to provide better-tasting water.
The village’s Water Department serves more than 4,400 customers each year by pumping water from local wells to the treatment plant at 614 Hillgrove. Ave. The water is softened and purified before it’s pumped into the distribution system for consumer use.
Beginning Nov. 25, the reverse osmosis manufacturer will start up and test the new equipment with the reverse osmosis membrane elements installed, according to information from the village. This will allow the manufacturer to test all of the equipment, instrumentation and the control system.
The reverse osmosis membrane elements will be installed Dec. 3-7, followed by a Dec. 10 to Jan. 8 testing period. During the testing period, the village will have full use of the system and membrane-tested water will be distributed. However, the reverse osmosis equipment will be turned on and off while the equipment is fine tuned. Residents should expect to see a reduced water hardness once the testing begins.
The water plant being unable to soften water before it was distributed caused a major inconvenience for Western Springs residents during the project. In addition, there was a concern expressed by some Western Springs residents in early 2012 about the fluoride level in the village’s water.
