Pumping

Pumping

The Pumping Division operates the low lift (raw water - pictured at right) and high lift (finished water - pictured below) pumping units. The six low lift pumps, with a daily rated capacity of 135 million gallons, take water from the intake system and pump it to the treatment plant. Eight high lift pumps, with a daily rated capacity of 147 million gallons, pump the finished treated water to the distribution system. Water plant operators, working rotating shifts on a weekly basis, provide around the clock supervision. The master mechanics maintain and repair the pumping units, hydraulic and electric controls, instruments, electric switch gear, standby engines, heating plant, pipe systems, buildings and grounds.

The division operates and maintains four booster pumping stations with seven pumps, two 4.9 million gallon storage tanks, one 5 million gallon storage tank and one 7.5 million gallon storage tank. All equipment is remotely controlled over leased telephone lines to maintain pressure in the distribution system. The Division also provides pumping to the Northwest Water Commission, and remotely controls an in-line booster station with three booster pumps and control valves at the Northwest Water Commission reservoir located in Des Plaines.

The Pumping Division pumps an average 41 million gallons of water from Lake Michigan each day through three intake pipes, after treatment, it pumps out 40 million gallons of drinking water to it's customers, which include 10.157 million gallons to Evanston, 10.632 million gallons to Skokie, and 26.859 million gallons to Northwest Water Commission.