CPWS completes renovation of Tennessee water treatment plant

The Columbia Power and Water System (CPWS) has completed the $8m renovation of its water treatment plant located at Nashville Highway in Columbia, Tennessee, US.

As part of the improvements, CPWS installed aluminum basin covers to reduce the interaction of sunlight with algae present in the raw water. This will further reduce the amount of chemical treatment required.

To reduce the presence of cryptosporidium in the raw water, ultraviolet (UV) reactors were also installed at the plant.

Granular activated-carbon filters have been installed to reduce the amount of trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (THAAs) in the water.

Sodium hypochlorite generators that are installed at the plant will be used to replace gas chlorine as the primary disinfectant, which significantly improves the chemical safety of the plant.

The water plant uses flash mixers, settling tanks, rapid sand filtration, and gas chlorine to treat around 20 million gallons of water a day.

The Board of Public Utilities chairman John Collier said that the board has invested in the future of the community’s water system to provide quality water for decades.

CPWS water operations director Jonathan Hardin said: "This renovation represents sound forethought by a team of engineers, operators, and regulators to ensure that Maury County continues to enjoy high-quality drinking water."