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Lake Michigan Water Filtration Plants

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers the Safe Drinking Water Act, setting standards for protecting surface and ground water throughout the United States. Communities throughout the country turn to reservoirs, mountain streams and lakes to supply drinking water for residents. In the Great Lakes area of the Midwest, a number of communities operate water filtration plants on the banks of Lake Michigan to provide local drinking water.

  1. Northwest Ottawa Water Treatment Plant

    • Located on the eastern shores of Lake Michigan in Grand Haven, Mich., the Northwest Ottawa Water Treatment Plant processes over five million gallons of water each day. The City of Grand Haven operates the plant, which supplies water for the city of Grand Haven, Crockery Township, Grand Haven Charter Township, Spring Lake Township, and the village of Spring Lake. Submerged intake pumps within the lake draw water for the plant, and the natural sand on the bottom serves as the first level of filtration. Inside the plant, the operation uses eight filtration cells, each measuring over 300 square feet. Filtration cells use a variety of filtration materials, including sand and anthracite. On-site technicians can conduct around-the-clock microbiological analysis to measure bacteria levels.

    James W. Jardine Water Purification Plant

    • The Chicago Department of Water operates the James W. Jardine Water Purification Plant along the southwest banks of Lake Michigan. Combined with the production of the South Water Purification Plant, the Jardine plant processes almost one billion gallons daily, supplying water to almost five million residents in nearly 120 communities. The two submerged intake cribs that supply the Jardine plant lie up to 2 1/2 miles from the shoreline. The filtration process takes up to seven hours to complete, and the plant uses over 90 chemical tanks throughout the process. The final steps of the purification process include traditional filtration, using gravel and sand. Chemical treatments added to the water include chlorine to eliminate pathogens and fluoride for the prevention of tooth decay. Processed water is delivered to the city of Chicago and suburban areas by means of pumping stations. To ensure safe drinking water, the plant drains and cleans the intake basins each spring.

    Linnwood Water Treatment Plant

    • The Linnwood Water Treatment Plant, in operation since 1939, lies on the western shores of Lake Michigan in Milwaukee. The plant uses 32 filters to process close to 300 million gallons each day. The plant draws water from a submerged intake system, located more than 6,500 feet offshore, at a level of over 60 feet below the surface. The plant uses chlorine to treat the water at the intake basins to help eliminate zebra mussels within the system. The plant also treats its water with ozone to kill microbes and control the odor and taste. During the filtration process, water passes through sand and anthracite coal to remove contaminating particles. Other chemical treatments include fluoride and phosphorous to help prevent pipe corrosion. The plant stores water in underground tank systems, and pumping stations distribute water via water mains.

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