New Westfield Water Treatment Plant breaks ground

[Music] there was a groundbreaking today for a new water treatment plant in Westfield 22 news reporter CLA Overton joins us live in studio after attending this ceremony Claire what does this now mean for residents Nick and Siara federal state and local officials all gathered at the West Parish filters in Westfield for the groundbreaking of a new water treatment system clean water is an absolute essential the planning for Westfield's new plant began almost 10 years years ago after the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission evaluated current and future needs since the first treatment plant was constructed back in the 1920s and last modernized back in 1974 water quality standards technology and precipitation patterns have changed significantly clean water is not inexpensive you have to continue to invest in the system and this system is unrivaled in terms of its achievement and accomplishments and I think that we want always make sure that people understand the obligation that we have to Future generations to provide them with clean water more than 115 years ago they broke ground on the west Parish slow sand filters and now they are breaking ground right in the same place for the newer facility we're creating a new plant here and constructing a new plant here that's going to last The Next Century uh to serve the entire region the plant is going to make sure Western Massachusetts has clean water for generations to come there's nothing better for a family than then to know that every time their kid is drinking a glass of water that it is as clean and toxic free as is humanly possible the first step of the new treatment plant will be demolishing the old slow sand filter from the 1920s which will take about a year the plant will remain open during the construction with the help of their new backwash Building completed last fall well clear for a while westfields had problems with their water because of forever chemicals so when will this project be finished the project is currently set to be completed in the fall of 2028 okay Claire thank you thank you