“Water is a precious resource that must be managed wisely to ensure a sustainable future.”
~ Achim Steiner
Project Overview
The City of Columbus currently owns and operates three water plants, collectively supplying an average of 145 million gallons per day of drinking water to Columbus and surrounding central Ohio communities. The continued growth of population and industry in central Ohio, along with the need to increase reliability and resiliency across the water supply system, has driven the need for additional water capacity.
The design process for the fourth water plant was initiated in winter 2023 by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) with the goal of bringing the new facility online by the end of 2028. The new Home Road water plant will be built on DPU-owned property along the Scioto River at the southeast corner of Home and Dublin roads in Delaware County.
Once operational, the Home Road water plant will have the capacity to provide water to the growing central Ohio population, which is expected to reach over three million by 2050. Incorporating cutting-edge, environmentally sustainable technology to efficiently provide clean, safe drinking water, the project marks the city’s first new water plant since the 1980s.
Announcements
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treatment processes And SITE LAYOUT
Preferred alternatives for the specific treatment processes were identified throughout the study phase and will be further evaluated throughout design based on the effectiveness of meeting treatment objectives, capital and life cycle costs, operational needs, reliability, complexity, and environmental impacts. The process flow diagram below shows the anticipated key processes of the Home Road water plant.
There is a cemetery and a gazebo on the new water plant site; both are historically preserved and will be protected throughout the site development and construction. Access to the cemetery will be available throughout the project, and dedicated access will be provided upon completion of construction. The exhibit below shows the general water plant site layout as it currently stands.*
*Site layout is subject to change
Sustainability
Supporting the Sustainable Columbus initiative, sustainability is fundamental in the planning, design and construction of the Home Road water plant to enhance and promote environmental stewardship in our community. Design and construction of the new water plant is structured to include the following sustainability measures:
- Stream restoration and wetland preservation at various areas near the site.
- Solar energy and electric vehicle charging stations.
- Compliance with Columbus Stormwater Drainage Manual requirements.
- The city will be pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and LEED Zero Energy certifications for the Administration Building.
- The project will be pursuing the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) Envision Framework certification for the overall project site design and construction.
Phasing
To date, the Home Road water plant project is planned to be constructed in three phases:
- Site Preparation
- Electrical Substation
- Water Plant Facility
Schedule
