| System History,
Overview and Operation
The Atlanta Canal and Water Works Company was begun in 1875, to
secure constant and plentiful supply of water for growth and fire
protection. The system began with only one pump and one reservoir.
Due to rapid growth, the system became inadequate in only ten years.
By 1891, the Chattahoochee River was selected as the source for
Atlantas water by Mayor William Hemphill. (Currently, the
Chattahoochee Complex and Hemphill Complex carry these names.) At
the close of 1907 approximately 65% of the residents had metered
water.
By 1923, a second raw water reservoir was built and Hemphill Treatment
Plant capacity was upgraded to 42 mgd by the addition of seven new
filters. In 1941, a second upgrade of the plant was necessary to
increase the filter rate to 106 mgd. Seven filters were added during
the second expansion. Due to the rapid growth and demand of Atlantas
water system, the final three filters were added in 1987 bringing
the filter rate to the current 136.5 mgd total.
The Chattahoochee Treatment Plant was built in 1960 and presently
has 13 filters with a total of 64.9 mgd capacity. The Atlanta-Fulton
County Treatment Plant was completed during 1991 and expanded in
1998 doubling its capacity.
Hemphill Pumping Station:

This steam-powered facility, built in 1893, pumps the finished water
from the treatment plant to the distribution system. All finished
water from this facility is consumed by the citizens of Atlanta,
South Fulton County and Atlantas wholesale customers. This
facility is scheduled to be replaced by a new energy efficient pump
station in 2002.
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190 million gallons per day rated pumping capacity
2-30mgd steam - operated turbine pumps
2-40mgd steam - operated turbine pumps
1-50mgd steam - operated turbine pump
4 steam generation boilers: 1-60,000 lbs. per hour; 2-27,000
lbs. per hour; 1-30,000 lbs. per hour.
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CHATTAHOOCHEE COMPLEX
River Intake facility:
Located on Ridgewood Road in Northwest Atlanta the facility was
constructed in the early 1950s. The location is historically
noted for Fort Peachtree and Standing Peachtree.
Chattahoochee Pumping Station:
In 1993, a new facility was built to replace the old steam station.
The new electric facility has a rated pumping capacity of 340 million
gallons per day, and supplies raw water to the Chattahoochee Treatment
Plant and the two Hemphill Reservoirs on Howell Mill Road.
HEMPHILL COMPLEX
Hemphill Complex Reservoirs:
There are two reservoirs located across the street from one another
along Howell Mill Rd near Bishop Street: reservoir number one, with
a raw water storage capacity of 180 million gallons; reservoir number
two, the larger of the two raw water storage facilities, with a
storage capacity of 345 million gallons of water.
Hemphill Treatment Plant:
Located near Howell Mill Road and Northside Drive, this facility
processes approximately 65% of all drinking water consumed in the
City of Atlanta. The facility uses conventional treatment processes
through seventeen (17) filters. This plant is currently in the process
of expansion to meet the water demands of the citizens.
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136.5 million gallons per day rated filter capacity
1923 plant 7 newly restored filters with a rated capacity
of 41 mgd
1941 plant 7 newly restored filters with a rated capacity
of 63 mgd
1987 plant 3 Filters with a rated capacity of 32.5
mgd
6 Sedimentation basins with a rated capacity of:
Nos.
1 & 2 - 4.58 million gallons each
Nos.
3 & 4 - 2.59 million gallons each
Nos.
5 & 6 - 4.37 million gallons each
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Hemphill Settled Solids:
This facility contains two pressure filters with fifty plates each.
This facility is responsible for processing all solid wastes from
the treatment plant which is mostly alum sludge collected in the
sedimentation basins. The dewatered solids are transported to landfills
where they are used as cover material.
Chattahoochee Treatment Plant:
Located on Bolton Road adjacent the R.M.Clayton Wastewater
Plant, this facility processes approximately 35% of the drinking
water consumed daily in the City of Atlanta. The plant supplies
water to the Northside and Adamsville Repump Stations, which transfer
water to the Buckhead and South Fulton areas of the system respectively.
64.9 million gallons per day rated filter capacity
1960 plant 6 wheeler bottom filters with a rated capacity
of 5 mgd each
1986 plant 7 stainless steel bottom filters with a rated
capacity of 5mgd each
6 sedimentation basins with a rated capacity of 2mg each
Four finished water electric pumps are used at Chattahoochee Treatment
Plant to pump water into the distribution system with the following
capacities:
NO. 1 43 million gallons per day rated capacity
NO. 2 30 million gallons per day rated capacity
NO. 3 30 million gallons per day rated capacity
NO. 4 36 million gallons per day rated capacity |
Chattahoochee Settled Solids:
This facility contains two pressure filters with fifty plates each.
This facility is responsible for processing all solid wastes from
the treatment plant. The dewatered solids are transported to landfills
where they are used as cover material. An alternative Belt-Press
unit is currently being utilized at this facility in a pilot study
for conversion to the new technology.
Load Control:
Known as the Nerve Center of the Atlanta Water System.
The staff of technicians monitor the plant flows, tank levels and
pressures for all areas, and control the pumping rates throughout
the distribution system with state-of-the-art computer systems.
All emergency calls from the public for broken water mains, leaking
fire hydrants and leaking meters are received by the technicians.
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