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PLEASANT PRAIRIE'S WATER UTILITY...HOW IT DELIVERS WATER...
In Pleasant Prairie, some homes are served by private wells, 643 homes are direct retail customers of the Kenosha Water Utility, and the remaining homes are customers of the Pleasant Prairie Water Utility. Most water that flows from taps in Pleasant Prairie comes from Lake Michigan.
The Kenosha Water Utility draws water directly from Lake Michigan through large intake pipes that extend out about one mile. The water is drawn into the Kenosha Water Utility Production Plant. There, it's run through micro filtration units to make the water safe to drink.
Small amounts of chlorine and fluoride are added to the water. The chlorine helps further protect against microorganisms, and the fluoride helps to prevent dental cavities. The water is then placed in a storage reservoir for transmission throughout the system.
The Pleasant Prairie Water Utility purchases an average of 2.25 million gallons of water each day from the Kenosha Utility. Every evening during off-peak hours, the Village takes in water at a steady and consistent rate. A computerized system monitors and controls the process. It sends a message to the Kenosha Water Utility prior to triggering slow opening valves that will allow water to flow into the Village water system.
Large pumps at the Kenosha Water Utility Production Plant push the treated water through a 36 inch transmission main for about three miles to a location on 7th Avenue and 80th Street. At this location, Pleasant Prairie's Water Utility receives the water through two metered pits. The water travels in two parallel transmission mains from the 7th Avenue location to a booster station and reservoir on Sheridan Road, filling the reservoir.
Large pumps at the Sheridan Road Booster Station then send the water through transmission lines to a second reservoir and booster station and four elevated water towers located throughout the Village. On any given day an average of 9.2 million gallons of water are stored within the Village reservoirs and tanks - 2.25 million gallons for an average day's use at homes and businesses and 6.95 million gallons in reserve for fighting fires and other potential needs.
Branching off from the water transmission lines that run between the reservoirs and tanks are smaller distribution mains that carry water to the property lines of homes and businesses. From the property line, a builder will construct a private water line to the Village water main.
The Village will install a meter to measure how much water is drawn from the system into a home or business. From that point, the plumbing within the home or building carries the water to all of those places we expect it be.
Throughout this process, the water utility pays close attention to details that help make the system run more efficiently and safely. The utility has programmed changes into its computer system in order to pump water when energy costs are less expensive. It also pumps at a consistent rate in order to maintain the proper water pressure within your home. The utility ensures that an adequate amount of water is stored in the Village system at all times to accommodate large unplanned demands for water (like fighting a fire) without having to unexpectedly take additional water from the Kenosha Water Utility.
Pleasant Prairie's utility also performs regular maintenance, like: exercising water valves; routinely monitoring water mains; and routinely inspecting the inside of towers, reservoirs and pumping stations. Pleasant Prairie flushes all distribution mains biannually and checks all Pleasant Prairie fire hydrants for soundness.
Since the utility increased the level of ongoing maintenance it performs, main breaks in the Village water system have declined from one or two per week to about one per year. By paying attention to the details, staff endeavors to run the utility as efficiently as possible.
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