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History of Great Water

2017
Louisville Water Company provides safe, clean, great-tasting water to almost one million people.

2015
Crescent Hill Water Treatment Plant also receives the Phase IV Excellence in Water Treatment award. Both B.E. Payne and Crescent Hill now rank as two of the top 16 treatment plants in North America.

2011
Riverbank Filtration Project named “Best Civil Engineering Project in the World.”

2010
B.E. Payne Water Treatment Plant receives the Phase IV Excellence in Water Treatment award from the Partnership for Safe Water.

2009
Crescent Hill Water Treatment Plant phases gravel out of filtering process.

2008
American Water Works Association names Louisville Pure Tap® as the “Best-tasting tap water in America.”

1997
Louisville Water trademarks its drinking water as Louisville Pure Tap®

1957
Anthracite coal is added to the sand and gravel filters.

1917
U.S. Government calls Louisville’s water quality “unexcelled.”

1914
Chlorine added as a disinfectant.

1909
Crescent Hill Water Treatment Plant opens and Louisvillians get “clear, wholesome” water.

1898
Hermany designs the Crescent Hill Water Treatment Plan for six sand and gravel filters.

1896
George Warren Fuller begins landmark experiments in filtration at Louisville Water.

1879
Crescent Hill Reservoir opens to allow additional mud to settle from river water.

1866
Chief Engineer Charles Hermany begins the quest for pure water by declaring his desire to filter Ohio River water.

1860
Louisville Water Company, then known as “The Water Works,” first pumps water to 512 customers.