Aqua Pennsylvania recently broke ground at its Shenango Valley Water Treatment Plant in Mercer County.

Aqua leadership joined elected officials and community leaders to kick off a construction project that will ensure safe water and a healthier environment for 21,000 customers in Northwestern Pennsylvania and parts of Trumbull County, Ohio. The plant upgrades will improve service and water quality and are the latest example of Aqua’s ongoing commitment to its customers.

“We are driven each day to deliver earth’s most essential resource safely to customers,” said Aqua Pennsylvania President Marc Lucca. “Our investments in our communities ensure we deliver on that goal. In the Shenango Valley, that purpose is no different — I’m proud of the dedication and expertise of our employees and our partners who work to  improve service to our customers.”

While the source of drinking water in our region comes from the rain running into streams, rivers, and lakes and recharging the groundwater, in its natural state it is unsuitable and even unhealthy to drink without treatment. The proposed project provides that treatment and complies with regulations producing the highest quality drinking water for Aqua’s customers’ homes and businesses across its service territory.

As part of this $28.4 million project, Aqua is adding a 700,000-gallon raw water basin to treat water before it goes through the filtration process, allowing for greater removal of impurities that naturally occur in water from rivers and lakes.  Improvements also include a powder-activated carbon silo and feed system to remove contaminants from the water, including algae that may cause taste & odor issues. These upgrades will allow for more thorough treatment of raw water before filtration, remove organic compounds, and lead to overall safer drinking water for the community. The project will ensure exemplary treatment of drinking water for decades. The project, which is expected to be complete at the end of 2025, is one of several across the region to enhance water service and quality.

“Sharon is proud to be home of Aqua’s Shenango Valley Water Treatment Plant and protector of this infrastructure, with benefits that span across the entire region,” said City of Sharon Manager Bob Fiscus. “Aqua has invested in essential improvements in our water distribution system, and they continue to invest in these water plant upgrades to protect water quality. Aqua is a true partner with the city of Sharon and the Shenango Valley, and we look forward to continuing that partnership and joint support”

“This project is going to do a lot of good for many people — after air, water is our most essential resource and we use, and our residents expect and deserve clean water for all of their needs,” said State Representative Parke Wentling. “This technology will ensure our area has clean water year-round, in particular in the summer months when water quality can be more challenging due to weather conditions.”

Learn more at Aqua Pennsylvania. Aqua’s infrastructure work contributes to the company’s overarching commitment to providing high-quality, reliable drinking water and safe wastewater solutions to its customers.