History

Cleveland Water has a long history of providing safe and great-tasting water. Since our founding in 1856, we have worked hard to help our City – and the surrounding region – grow and expand.

Interactive Timeline: Water Milestones in Cleveland

2017 b

Cleveland Water transitioned customer accounts from quarterly to monthly billing to help better manage their household budgets and track their water usage easier

2017

The City of Cleveland Heights officially becomes a direct service customer

2016

Crown Water Filtration Plant received the Phase IV Excellence in Water Treatment award. Crown is one of only 16 plants across the nation to receive this highest level of achievement from the Partnership

2015

Cleveland Water altered its CIP to begin focusing on underground infrastructure, investing $26 million a year on replacing and renewing aging water mains throughout its service area

2007

Interior of the Morgan Finished Water Pump Station

2008 b

Construction of the 15 million gallon Morgan East Reservoir

2011

Exterior of the newly rehabilitated Fairmount Pump Station

2007 b

Construction of the Flocculation Tanks at Baldwin

2004

Construction of the Gravity Sludge Thickeners at Nottingham

1997

Cleveland Water begins its Plant Enhancement Program (PEP) to modernize all four water treatment plants

1991 b

Parma Control Center is renovated, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition is initiated, Engineering Field Services Office is constructed

1985

Massive Capital Improvement Program (CIP) begins to modernize water plant operations and improve larger water mains throughout the system

1956

Cement-lined pipe becomes the Cleveland Water standard and is installed throughout the distribution system

1916

Garrett Morgan, local inventor, rescues several miners trapped when a Cleveland Water tunnel collapses

1915

Warrensville Reservoir and Pumping Station, located between Green Rd. and Harvard Ave., is constructed and delivers water to eastern and southeastern areas of the system

1913

Daily water quality testing begins; Warrensville Reservoir constructed, delivering water to eastern and southeastern areas of the system located farther away from Lake Erie

2012 b

Automatic Meter Reading program begins, projected completion date is 2014

2012 b

The $650 million PEP is completed, shifting the focus of the CIP to smaller water mains in the system

2008

Cleveland Water begins expending $10 million annually on water main replacements in suburban communities that have signed the Amended WSA

2007 c

Cleveland Water offers Amended Water Service Agreements (WSAs) to suburbs throughout the system – transferring responsibility for main replacement from the city to Cleveland Water within those communities that execute the new agreement

2006

Cleveland Water celebrates its 150^th anniversary and recreates the original fountain which appeared on the Public Square at the 1856 Ohio State Fair

2000 - 2013

Plant Enhancement Program (PEP) includes rebuilding and modernization of all 4 water treatment plants (28 construction projects, $650 million total cost)

1995

New Harvard Yard Facilities is constructed and Crown Plant is upgraded, expanded, and modernized

1991

Division Filter Plant Renovation is completed and the plant is rededicated and renamed after Garrett Morgan

1975

Conversion from steam -to electric- power- driven pumps is completed for entire water system

1972

Public Utilities Building (1201 Lakeside Ave.) opens, consolidating all Cleveland Water management and business functions into a single location

1967

Parma Control Center is completed, consolidating and upgrading secondary station operations (pump stations, water tanks, and towers)

1958

Crown Water Plant, located between Detroit Ave. and Clague Rd., opens to serve the far west and southwest areas of the water system

1951

Nottingham Water Plant, located between Chardon Rd. and St. Clair Ave., opens to serve the far east and southeast areas of the water system

1934

Parma Reservoir, located between Snow Rd. and Pearl Rd., is completed as part of the Work Project Administration and delivers water to the southwest areas of the water system

1925

Baldwin Filtration Plant & Reservoir and Fairmount Pump Station, both located between Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Fairhill Rd., are all placed into service, bringing filtrated water to the entire system

1917

A new water treatment plant (Division Ave., located between West 45^th St. and Division Ave.), Intake, and Pump Station are all placed into service, bringing filtered water to the west side (now known as Garrett Morgan)

1911

Cleveland begins to add chlorine to its water to help eradicate cholera and typhoid fever

1904

Kirtland Crib (5 Mile Crib), Intake Tunnel, and Pump Station are all placed into service

1885

Fairmount Reservoir, located between Woodhill Rd. and Quincy Ave., is placed into service while the Kentucky Street Reservoir is retired completed

1883

Kinsman Reservoir, located between Kinsman Rd. and East 116^th St., is completed, providing service to higher elevations within the service area

1870

Cleveland Water installs its first water meters

1869

Due to pollution near the shores of Lake Erie, work commences on a new crib tunnel, a 7-year project, 5 miles in length

1856

September 24, 1856-Water system operations commence

1854-56

Chief Engineer T.R. Scowden leads construction of the first water facilities, including an intake, pump station, the Kentucky Street Reservoir, and 11 miles of distribution pipe

1853

Cleveland City Council authorizes $400,000 in bonds for the development of a centralized public water system that will eventually become Cleveland Water

1840

Cleveland City Council authorizes the sinking of a well at Public Square

1814

Entrepreneur Benhu Johnson begins delivering water by the barrel to customers at a price of 2 gallons per penny

1796

Cleveland established on the banks of the Cuyahoga River near the shores of Lake Erie