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Media contacts:
Carolyn Marinan, Communications, 612-348-5969
Sarah
McKenzie, City of Minneapolis Communications, 612-673-2786
In 1867, the Minneapolis City Council authorized the
establishment of Minneapolis Water Works to supply
water to the Minneapolis Fire Department.
The City established its first drinking water pump station by
1872 on the Mississippi River above St. Anthony Falls and expanded its
distribution to residents—making Minneapolis the first city in Minnesota with a
public drinking water system.
Today Minneapolis Public Works Water Treatment
& Distribution Services has developed a complex system that pumps approximately 21
billion gallons of water each year from the Mississippi River. It produces an
average of 57 million gallons of drinking water each day—a rate that could fill
Lake of the Isles in about four days.
This exhibit
shows consumers how water is taken from the Mississippi River, treated and
delivered to their tap, and provides a rare opportunity for the public to see
water infrastructure that is normally hidden.
It also shows how some aspects of water treatment and distribution have
changed over the years while others have remained constant over time.
On display
are photos of the treatment and distribution processes and infrastructure as
well as equipment and pipe actually used in the water treatment and
distribution system.
More information on the water treatment and delivery process: From river to tap: Exploring how Minneapolis gets its water .
The Hennepin Gallery is free and
open to the public Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Hennepin
County Government Center, A-level, 300 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis.
The exhibit is sponsored by Minneapolis Public Works Department. The Hennepin Gallery is a project
of Hennepin County Communications.
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Look for more news on the Hennepin County website at www.hennepin.us/news.
Discover how we're making a difference in our communities at www.hennepin.us/stories.
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