Image via Aqua Pennsylvania.

Aqua has broken ground on its water treatment plant in the Shenango Valley in Mercer County, ensuring exemplary drinking water treatment for decades to come.

Aqua Pennsylvania recently broke ground on its water treatment plant in the Shenango Valley in Mercer County.

Aqua leadership, along with elected officials and community leaders, have launched a construction project to provide clean water and a healthier environment to 21,000 customers in northwestern Pennsylvania and parts of Trumbull County, Ohio. The plant upgrades will improve service and water quality and are the latest example of Aqua’s ongoing commitment to its customers.

“We strive every day to safely deliver the earth’s most important resource to our customers,” said Marc Lucca, President of Aqua Pennsylvania. “Our investments in our communities ensure we achieve that goal. In the Shenango Valley, that purpose is no different – I am proud of the dedication and expertise of our employees and partners who work to improve service to our customers.”

While drinking water in our region comes from rain that flows into streams, rivers and lakes and recharges groundwater, in its natural state without treatment it is unfit and even harmful to health for drinking. The proposed project provides this treatment and meets regulations to produce the highest quality drinking water for Aqua customers’ homes and businesses throughout its service area.

As part of this $28.4 million project, Aqua is installing a 700,000-gallon raw water basin to treat water prior to the filtration process to better remove contaminants that naturally occur in river and lake water. Improvements also include a powdered activated carbon silo and a feed system to remove contaminants from the water, including algae that can cause taste and odor problems. These improvements will allow for more thorough treatment of the raw water prior to filtration, removing organic compounds and resulting in overall safer drinking water for the community. The project will provide exemplary drinking water treatment for decades to come. The project, which is expected to be completed in late 2025, is one of several projects in the region to improve water supply and quality.

“Sharon is proud to be home to Aqua’s Shenango Valley Water Treatment Plant and to protect this infrastructure whose benefits extend throughout the region,” said Bob Fiscus, City of Sharon Manager. “Aqua has invested in significant improvements to our water distribution system and continues to invest in upgrading these water plants to protect water quality. Aqua is a true partner to the City of Sharon and the Shenango Valley and we look forward to continuing this partnership and mutual support.”

“This project will do a lot of good for a lot of people – after air, water is our most important resource and we use it, and our citizens expect and deserve clean water for all their needs,” said State Rep. Parke Wentling. “This technology will ensure our area has clean water year-round, especially during the summer months when water quality can be more challenging due to weather conditions.”

Learn more at Aqua Pennsylvania. Aqua’s infrastructure work contributes to the company’s broader commitment to providing its customers with high-quality, reliable drinking water and safe wastewater solutions.