Environmental laws and regulations, spurred in large part by the last Cuyahoga River fire in 1969, have dramatically improved the quality of our nation’s waterways. But as these legacy issues are addressed, new environmental challenges have evolved – ones that are much less visible than a burning river.

Like the city itself, the development of Cleveland Water has been defined by Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River. From the beginning, our goal has always been to deliver the best quality drinking water possible to our customers.

The health and safety of our customers is of vital importance to us. We know that safe, quality drinking water is critical to the wellbeing and growth of our community. That’s why we’re committed to providing our customers with the highest quality drinking water.

In Lake Erie’s recorded history, we’ve never seen water levels this high.

Cleveland Water has a long history of providing safe, great-tasting water. We’ve grown from a single pump station delivering untreated water through just 13 miles of mains in 1856 to four state-of-art treatment facilities serving 1.5 million customers through a network of 5,300 miles of mains.

Strong spring storms that churn Lake Erie waters and increase water runoff mix more sediment and other particulate matter into the lake water. The resulting murky water will measure higher in a water quality parameter called turbidity.

It is easy to take for granted how simple it is to access clean, safe drinking water. You take a shower, brush your teeth, and fill a glass – just by turning on the tap. Water plays a vital role in your daily life, but do you really know what it takes to get water from the lake to your tap?

Several days ago we told you that Lake Erie’s bottom water temperatures had reached below the magic number of 39.2°F, meaning the surface could freeze as long as the air temperature above the lake stayed below freezing.