Retrospect: New water plant unveiled

Twenty-five years ago this week a new water plant was unveiled in Portland.

Portland Water Department superintendent Fred Bailey raved over the new water treatment plant at 205 S. Wayne St., on Nov. 25, 1992.

An official open house was slated for the following month.

Bailey gushed over the technology in the new facility.

“Maureen (Grady) opened the valve with a two-by-four and a crowbar,” he said. Grady is the plant’s chief operator. “Over here, she punches a button and it does it itself.”

The former plant required four or five operators, but with updated equipment the new building only required one. This allowed the other employees to spend their time focusing on fixing water mains, which became a problem the previous summer.

A new computer system allowed employees to track water flowing through the pumps. A heated garage housed pumps used when water mains broke, and a larger unheated garage stored heavy equipment and vehicles for the department.

There was also a locker room added with showers, a vast improvement from the previous building that just had small lockers for employees.

One of the biggest issues facing the new plant, which was met with many concerns from Portland residents, was the fact it did not soften the water. While the former treatment plant used lime and soda ash to soften the water, it created a problem with sludge that cost about $177,000 annually to maintain.