Illinois American Water is rehabilitating the 75,000 gallon elevated water storage tank in the Village of Ransom. The company is also making upgrades to the water treatment facility. The investment of approximately $430,000 will help extend the life of the storage tank and ensure safe drinking water for today and in the future.

Work kicked off in March on the elevated tank which was originally constructed in 1990. The tank was taken out of service to complete the necessary work, which includes inspection and maintenance as well as painting to the interior and exterior. Tank painting is currently being completed under a canvas shroud to ensure debris and paint does not escape. The old paint was sandblasted off and a primer coat will be applied to prevent rusting. Crews will then paint an intermediate coat before applying a third and final coat.

According to Kent Woodburn, operations supervisor, this investment will enhance reliability and longevity of the tank. Illinois American Water is also working with the Village of Ransom to ensure the Village logo is on the tank. “Water tanks not only serve a vital role in our water distribution systems, but they serve as landmarks for communities. We are excited to give this tank a facelift,” said Woodburn.

Water service will not be significantly affected by the tank improvements. At the most, customers may notice a slight variation in water pressure as a result of the tank being out of service. The quality of the water flowing to customers’ homes and businesses will not be affected and will continue to meet all federal and state water quality regulations. Once the work is completed, the tank will be inspected and placed back in service.

In addition to the elevated water tank upgrades, Illinois American Water plans to upgrade the water treatment plant and install new chemical feed equipment. This work is expected to begin at the end of May. According to Steve Wegman, senior engineer, the new chemical feed equipment will ensure stable disinfection and decrease the need for flushing throughout the distribution system. The entire project is expected to be completed in October.

About Illinois American Water - Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality control and research laboratory in Belleville. With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,900 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in 46 states and Ontario, Canada. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.