Indiana American Water Cuts Ribbon for New Borman Park Disinfection Treatment Facility in Gary
Project will enhance safety for employees and residents in northwest Indiana
GARY, IND. (September 28, 2022) – Indiana American Water Company, a subsidiary of American Water Company (NYSE: AWK), today joined Gary Deputy Mayor Trent McCain, community leaders and project partners at a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate completion of a new $8 million disinfection treatment facility at its Borman Park water treatment plant in Gary, Ind. The project has allowed the company to switch from using chlorine gas at the facility to a much safer liquid form of chlorine know as sodium hypochlorite to disinfect water during the treatment process.
“This project is a great example of our commitment to incorporating efficiency, sustainability and safety components into our operations and facilities,” said Indiana American Water President Matt Prine. “Over the last several years, we have already converted nearly half of our water facilities around the state to this much safer form of water disinfection and have plans to invest approximately $30 million to convert the remainder of our water and wastewater treatment facilities over the next five years.”
Indiana American Water purchased the adjoining property needed to complete the project in 2020 from the Gary Community School Corporation and demolished the abandoned Jefferson Elementary School building last year. Construction got underway last year on the new treatment facility and was placed online in June 2022.
“We appreciate the significant investment Indiana American Water has made in this facility and over the years in their water infrastructure in northwest Indiana,” said Gary Deputy Mayor Trent McCain. “This project is a significant health and safety enhancement that also aligns well with our plans to reduce the number of abandoned structures and the associated risks in Gary while providing significant new property tax revenue to the community as well.”
The project included construction of a new bulk storage facility, including several large storage tanks and feed equipment to allow the existing Borman Park water treatment facility to utilize sodium hypochlorite in the water treatment and to generate the chloramines used in the water distribution system. Chloramine has been used as a water disinfectant for decades in the water distribution system in northwest Indiana. The facility also includes robust chemical containment and storage safety features to mitigate the risks associated with any accidental spills or discharges.
Planning is underway to convert Indiana American Water’s Ogden Dunes and Lowell water treatment plants in northwest Indiana to sodium hypochlorite disinfection by the end of 2024.
The Gary Borman Park chemical treatment project was designed and constructed through a collaborative partnership with Bowen Engineering and Hazen & Sawyer.
Indiana American Water serves more than 76,000 customers in its northwest Indiana service area or a population of approximately 250,000 people. Indiana American Water’s Northwest Indiana Operations provides water service to several communities in the area, including Gary, Hobart, Merrillville, Lake Station, Chesterton, Burns Harbor, Portage, Porter, South Haven, Winfield, Shorewood Forest, and Wheeler. The Northwest Indiana Operations also serves as a regional water supplier by providing water to several communities in the area, including Schererville, Crown Point, New Chicago, and Ogden Dunes through wholesale contracts.
Indiana American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.32 million people. For more information, visit www.indianaamwater.com and follow Indiana American Water on Twitter and Facebook.
GARY, IND. (September 28, 2022) – Indiana American Water Company, a subsidiary of American Water Company (NYSE: AWK), today joined Gary Deputy Mayor Trent McCain, community leaders and project partners at a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate completion of a new $8 million disinfection treatment facility at its Borman Park water treatment plant in Gary, Ind. The project has allowed the company to switch from using chlorine gas at the facility to a much safer liquid form of chlorine know as sodium hypochlorite to disinfect water during the treatment process.
“This project is a great example of our commitment to incorporating efficiency, sustainability and safety components into our operations and facilities,” said Indiana American Water President Matt Prine. “Over the last several years, we have already converted nearly half of our water facilities around the state to this much safer form of water disinfection and have plans to invest approximately $30 million to convert the remainder of our water and wastewater treatment facilities over the next five years.”
Indiana American Water purchased the adjoining property needed to complete the project in 2020 from the Gary Community School Corporation and demolished the abandoned Jefferson Elementary School building last year. Construction got underway last year on the new treatment facility and was placed online in June 2022.
“We appreciate the significant investment Indiana American Water has made in this facility and over the years in their water infrastructure in northwest Indiana,” said Gary Deputy Mayor Trent McCain. “This project is a significant health and safety enhancement that also aligns well with our plans to reduce the number of abandoned structures and the associated risks in Gary while providing significant new property tax revenue to the community as well.”
The project included construction of a new bulk storage facility, including several large storage tanks and feed equipment to allow the existing Borman Park water treatment facility to utilize sodium hypochlorite in the water treatment and to generate the chloramines used in the water distribution system. Chloramine has been used as a water disinfectant for decades in the water distribution system in northwest Indiana. The facility also includes robust chemical containment and storage safety features to mitigate the risks associated with any accidental spills or discharges.
Planning is underway to convert Indiana American Water’s Ogden Dunes and Lowell water treatment plants in northwest Indiana to sodium hypochlorite disinfection by the end of 2024.
The Gary Borman Park chemical treatment project was designed and constructed through a collaborative partnership with Bowen Engineering and Hazen & Sawyer.
Indiana American Water serves more than 76,000 customers in its northwest Indiana service area or a population of approximately 250,000 people. Indiana American Water’s Northwest Indiana Operations provides water service to several communities in the area, including Gary, Hobart, Merrillville, Lake Station, Chesterton, Burns Harbor, Portage, Porter, South Haven, Winfield, Shorewood Forest, and Wheeler. The Northwest Indiana Operations also serves as a regional water supplier by providing water to several communities in the area, including Schererville, Crown Point, New Chicago, and Ogden Dunes through wholesale contracts.
Indiana American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and wastewater services to approximately 1.32 million people. For more information, visit www.indianaamwater.com and follow Indiana American Water on Twitter and Facebook.