Treating Water
Our treatment process includes oxidation, lime softening, recarbonation, filtration and disinfection. Our state-certified operators perform these processes in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and submit test results to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Fun fact: We sometimes receive water chemistry questions from home brewers, who are interested in knowing about hardness, pH, sulfates, chloride and ammonia. Cheers!
The UFO
Recognizable by its iconic spaceship-like water tower, the Murphree Water Treatment plant delivers approximately 8 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water to our community each year. The tower is actually a backwash tank that holds 400,000 gallons of water, which it uses to clean filters used in the treatment process. Our tower is modeled after one at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, the shape of which pays tribute to the first transistor.
If the water tower in the TV show “Severance” looks familiar, that’s because it’s the same design as ours.
In the Lab
The water we withdraw from the aquifer requires minimal treatment due to its high quality; however, we still analyze about 64,000 samples yearly to meet state and federal regulations and ensure the best possible product.
Know Your Water
GRU produces and distributes a Water Quality Report every year to meet regulatory requirements and to inform customers about the makeup of its water. You can learn more by reading our water quality report.