Freeport Water Treatment Plant is online

Freeport's state-of-the-art water treatment plant and new Well No. 11, a project costing $13 million and eight years in the making, are now operational. The plant, designed by Fehr Graham, uses corrosion-resistant materials and is expected to have a 100-year lifespan. The decision to upgrade the water treatment facilities was prompted by the 2015 discovery of "forever chemicals" in the area.

The new well taps into limestone aquifers and is equipped with a 2-million-gallon-per-day submersible pump. Water is treated with chlorine and fluoride before distribution. The project is funded through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's revolving loan fund, and the City plans to break ground on another well in the future. Freeport City Manager Rob Boyer praised the plant's design and execution.

Read the article in The Journal-Standard here.