The Manchester, CT water treatment plant was officially opened on Dec. 14 to mark completion of a $12.5 million improvement project. The major upgrades to the Globe Hollow Water Treatment Facility were a switch from gaseous to liquid chlorine and the installation of an ozonation system to improve the taste and odor of the water.
Ozone, a form of oxygen, also works as an added barrier against viruses. A new building had to be erected to house ozone contact chambers, and half the cost of the total project went to the ozonation system. Switching to liquid chlorine will boost plant safety. Chlorine gas is an effective disinfectant, but also a highly dangerous chemical. The project also included new, Olympic swimming pool-sized filters that use granulated activated carbon and sand, replacing filters that used sand and anthracite.
The plant, which went online in 1985, produces about 5.5 million gallons of potable water daily and serves most of the town.