Louisville Water Company
 Constructed between 1857 and 1860, the Louisville Water Tower holds the distinction of being the oldest water tower in the United States. | |
| Formerly | Louisville Water Works |
|---|---|
| Industry | Utilities Water and wastewater services |
| Founded | March 6, 1854 |
| Founder | Kentucky General Assembly |
| Headquarters | 550 S 3rd Street, , |
Key people | Spencer Bruce, CEO Greg Fischer, Chairman (ex-officio) |
| Products | Water supply |
| Owner | Louisville Metro Government (sole shareholder) |
The Louisville Water Company is a water utility firm based in Louisville, Kentucky.
History
Since commencing operations in 1860 under the original name "The Water Works," the company initially served 512 customers when it began distributing water on October 6, 1860.
The Crescent Hill Reservoir, created in 1879 with a capacity of 100 million gallons and designed by Charles Hermany, was constructed to enhance water purification by allowing sediment to settle. Beginning in 1896, sanitary engineer George W. Fuller carried out filtration trials at this location.
On July 13, 1909, the Crescent Hill Treatment Plant was inaugurated, delivering purified water to Louisville’s population. By 1914, chlorine disinfection had been introduced; a 1917 federal report described Louisville’s water quality as "almost perfect."
In 1957, improvements to the filtration system included incorporating anthracite coal alongside sand and gravel.
The original Louisville Water Tower and its pumping station are preserved as historic sites, having been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1971.
In 1997, the company registered "Louisville pure tap" as a trademark for its water product.
A 2010 study by the Environmental Working Group highlighted concerns about hexavalent chromium (chromium-6) in Louisville’s tap water; nonetheless, company officials maintained that the water remained safe for consumption.
The historic Pumping Station No. 1 underwent restoration and was reopened as the WaterWorks Museum in 2014.
By the year 2018, Louisville Water Company was distributing roughly 33.7 billion gallons of potable water annually.
Activities
Serving more than 800,000 individuals in Louisville and portions of Oldham and Bullitt counties, Louisville Water Company also supplies wholesale water to Shelby, Spencer, and Nelson counties.
To maintain rigorous quality control, the company performs approximately 200 water quality analyses each day within its treatment plants.