Data on Purification Plant and Quincy Water Supply

The existing treatment plant is rated at 18 million gallons per day capacity and affords the capability to meet the future needs of our rapidly expanding city. A virtually inexhaustible water supply is available from the Mississippi River, one of the largest sources of water in the United States. The main pumping station is presently located at Front & Maine Street.

Four electric low service raw water pumps take water from the Mississippi River through two 36" intake pipes with a rated capacity of 30 m.g.d. and pump into a three level dual settling basin south of the pump station. This basin has a dividing wall that allows it to function as two independent basins each capable of treating 12 m.g.d. Primary clarification includes the addition of ferric chloride, a cationic polymer and chlorine for initial disinfection. Activated carbon is added as required for taste and odor removal.

Water next flows to a 72' x 92' rectangular solids basin where lime (calcium oxide) is added along with sodium aluminate to soften the water. Water then flows through two separate basins where carbon dioxide is added for stabilization, hydro-fluosilic acid is added to fluoridate the water and ammonium sulfate combines with chlorine to form chloramines. After final stabilization, the water is filtered and flows by gravity into a one million gallon circular storage reservoir. Four high service pumps then take water from this structure and pump it into various areas of the water distribution system. Water pumped into the mains is not being used and empties into the storage reservoir that holds up to 19.5 million gallons of water.

The present distribution systems is composed of 252.6 miles of distribution mains varying from 4" to 36" in diameter serving approximately 17,023 water services, 2845 gate valves and 1864 hydrants.

Quincy is presently served by three separate pressure districts in the mains. The reservoir district is a lower part of the City from the Mississippi River on the West and roughly 8th Street on the East with the exception of the greater downtown commercial area. It is served by direct pumping from the main pump station or from the reservoir. The second district is the intermediate bound by the reservoir district on the West, 18th Street on the East and serves the downtown commercial area. Water is taken from two 24" suction lines at 11th & Broadway and pumped into a one million gallon elevated tank. The third district or high-level pressure area is bound on 18th Street on the West and serves the rest of the eastern portion of the City. This appears to be the most rapidly developing area of the City and is served by a one million gallon standpipe located at 39th & Wisman Lane and a 750,000 gallon water spheroid located at 43rd & Harrison. Average daily water consumption based on current statistics is 7,832,500 gallons. A total of 19,500,000 gallons storage capacity is available at the City's ground storage reservoir site with an additional 2,750,000 gallons of elevated storage also being available.