Kewanna breaks ground for new water treatment plant

Friday, August 16, 2024 at 3:45 AM

By Shelby Lopez

$7.67M project aimed at tackling local health and safety concerns by replacing lead service lines in the town and installing a water treatment filtration system to remove emerging contaminants.

The town of Kewanna had its official kick-off for its Water Treatment Improvement Project with a groundbreaking ceremony Friday at the new water filtration plant at 217 E. Maple St.

The $7.67 million project is aimed at tackling local health and safety concerns by replacing lead service lines in the town and installing a water treatment filtration system to remove emerging contaminants. The water treatment project is being funded by the Indiana Finance Authority's State Revolving Loan Fund to upgrade the town's water infrastructure. Residents of Kewanna are still currently dealing with elevated levels of iron, arsenic and magnesium, but community officials hope the new water project will help significantly elevate the standard of living in the town. Based on a 2024 U.S. census estimate, Kewanna currently has a population of 569 people within town limits.

(Pictured from left, Amber Neilson, Baker Tilly; Michael Ladd, Fulton Economic Development Corporation Executive Director; Pete Karas, Fulton County Council, District 1; Chris Harrison, Commonwealth Engineers; Jeff Finke, Kewanna Town Council, Doran Collins, Kewanna Council President; Joann Collins, Kewanna Clerk-Treasurer; Phil Fritz; Steve Correll, Kewanna Utility Superintendent; Amy Mendoza, Water Treatment Improvement project engineer; Mark Hall, Thieneman Construction.)

The project will involve the construction of a new well building and water treatment plan that will house all new equipment. Some of the new equipment includes a 250-GPM well, site piping, a backwash tank, high-service pumps, chemical dosing system, and more. Also planned is the install of a new water tower mixer in the town's existing water tower.

Kewanna Utility Superintendent Steve Correll says up to this point the entire town, which is technically well water, had no advanced filtration and had just been treated chemically with chlorine. Correll believes the new project is turning Kewanna in a positive direction for the future. The project is set to start at the end of this month, with hopes of a completion date in August 2025.