Water Distribution

From the filtration gallery of the Water Purification Plant, cleaned water flows to two on-site clearwells, from which the process of delivering drinking water to our customers begins through our water distribution system.

If experiencing a water service outage or if have other trouble to report, contact our 24-hour Water Dispatch at 217.789.2323 ext 2.

Storage Tanks

Approximately 85% of the water distributed to the city each day is used directly out of the distribution system. The remaining 15% is stored in one of three above-ground storage tanks located throughout the city. Most water storage takes place during the night when customer demand is lowest, ensuring plenty of water will be available to our customers during the high-demand daylight hours. To keep stored water fresh, the tanks are cycled at least partially every day.

By providing storage for water that is not immediately needed, these tanks help to create an equalizing effect on the water system by allowing some pumpage to be shifted from peak-demand to low-demand hours. They also contribute to public safety, by helping to ensure adequate flows will be available for fire fighting purposes.

The oldest of the above-ground storage tanks is located on Old Jacksonville Road. Built in 1966, this elevated model has a capacity of one million gallons. The second tank, on Factory Street, is a ground-level model built in 1976. It has a capacity of four million gallons. The newest tank, built in 1998, is a five million gallon "standpipe" located off Cockrell Lane south of Wabash Avenue. (View photos of the three storage tanks.)

CWLP's three storage tanks fill and discharge their water in different ways. The elevated Old Jacksonville Road tank "floats on the system," meaning it discharges or refills based on reductions or increases in the system's water pressure. As pressure lowers, the tank discharges water; as pressure rises, the tank fills. No pumps are required by this tank. The Factory Street ground-level tank relies on system pressure for refilling, but requires pumps for discharging. Water can be discharged from this tank at a rate of about 6 million gallons per day. The Cockrell Lane standpipe can either float on the system or pump discharge to the system as desired.

Water Mains Read More

Treated water is carried from the Water Purification Plant to the ultimate users through a network of water mains. The current CWLP water transmission and distribution system consists of approximately 768 miles of water mains, which measure from 4 inches to 36 inches in diameter.

The history of the expansion of the water system closely parallels the growth of the city. There were just under 100 miles of water mains in the system at the beginning of 1930. About 25 miles were added during that decade. Although very little main expansion took place during World War II, rapid development following the war resulted in the addition of over 45 miles during the late 1940s. In response to the continued growth of both Springfield's population and the needs of our state government over the next five decades, 60 miles of new main were added in the 1950s; 65 in the 1960s; just under 100 miles in the 1970s; 60 miles in the 1980s; and 130 miles in the 1990s. From 2000 through 2012, approximately 98 miles of new main were added to the system.

Most of Springfield's water main system is composed of durable cast iron pipe, which has a very long useful life cycle under most conditions. Newer mains are constructed of ductile iron, an even more durable product.

Water Service Lines Read More

Service lines are the lines that run from the water main near the street to the property. The portion of the line from the curb stop to the home or building is customer-owned and the portion from the curb stop or meter to the water main is owned by the utility. Currently, there are about 52,400 metered water service connections to the system. These connections range from 5/8 inch to 12 inches in diameter, with 96% being one inch or smaller. A service is generally composed of: a connection to the main, a control valve and connective piping, a water meter, and (for 75%-80% of services) a meter pit.

A variety of materials have been used for water services and are still present in the CWLP system. Galvanized iron, lead, copper and plastic have been used for connective piping.

As far as maintenance of service lines is concerned, CWLP maintains the portion of line that extends from the water main to the shut-off valve located near the street or in the customer's water meter pit. The property owner is responsible for any repairs or replacements required to the section of line after the shut-off/meter pit.

Fire Hydrants Read More

There are approximately 7,100 fire hydrants on the CWLP system. Hydrants are used for fire suppression, pressure tests, and main flushing. Hydrant function can have a direct and immediate impact on the safety of human life and property. CWLP tests and maintains all fire hydrants in the city at least once each year and has an excellent record of keeping hydrants in service. Rarely is there more than a handful of hydrants inoperable at any time. Significant resources are expended in order to maintain that high level of service.

Lead Awareness and Drinking Water Safety Read More

CWLP reduces risks of corrosion occurring in plumbing systems by adding lime during the water treatment process, which raises the pH of the finished drinking water. The use of lime and the higher pH of the water limits the risk of metals, such as lead, from leaching into drinking water from lead service lines and plumbing fixtures containing lead or copper.

In situations where water is left standing for extended periods in plumbing systems and service lines where lead or copper pipe or solder exists, contamination into drinking water is a possibility. There are safeguards you can take to protect against this risk.

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