Louisville

Louisville, Kentucky

Source Number: 2.5.1

Source Description
Personal communication, David C. Schafer, consultant to Louisville Water Company, Kentucky. Additional information is expected directly from Louisville Water Company.

Key Words
Bank filtration; collector wells; water quality; water treatment; microbiota; Louisville, Kentucky

Executive Summary
Louisville Water Company obtains 240 million gallons per day (MGD) of its water supply from the Ohio River, using a direct surface intake. The river is regulated by dams upstream and downstream. In order to improve the water quality of the water being provided to its water treatment plant for treatment, and to reduce its vulnerability to unexpected variations in source water quality, Louisville Water Company is proceeding with an 8-year plan to provide pretreatment of the river water, using bank filtration. This is believed to be the largest bank filtration program in the United States.

The first of a series of horizontal collector wells has been constructed and is undergoing testing to determine changes in yield and water quality under operational conditions. The first well has an initial capacity of 15,000 gallons per minute (gpm), or about 21 MGD. It is constructed with a central caisson, 16 feet in diameter to a depth of 110 feet, and seven laterals extending under the river to radial distances of several hundred feet.

Louisville Water Company is collecting extensive water quality and hydraulic data for this system. A request has been made to provide the results for the purposes of this project. At such time as the data become available, it will be added to this database.

A similar but smaller project is underway at Columbus, Ohio.

Graphics and Tables
To be added.

Contact Information
Kay Ball
Louisville Water Company
3018 Frankfort Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206
502-569-3600, Ext. 2448

Source Documents
To be added.