Toronto Water
Toronto Water is the municipal division of the City of Toronto under Infrastructure and Development Services responsible for the water supply network, and stormwater and wastewater management in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, as well as parts of Peel and York Regions. History Early days Water treatment was originally established in order to provide safe drinking water. In the 19th century, the water off the city's shores was severely polluted by the dumping of waste from residences and businesses. Before 1842, Toronto's water supply was manually pumped from Lake Ontario, streams and wells. Water carters would take the water and distribute it to customers across the city. Private water supply From 1843 to 1873, water was privately provided by Furniss Works or Toronto Water Works, a subsidiary of Toronto Gas Light and Water Company, which was owned by Montreal businessman Albert Furniss. Following Furniss's death in 1872, the City of Toronto bought out Furniss Works and transformed the water supply to public hands under the Toronto Water Works Commission. Suburban water supply Outside of the pre-amalgamation City of Toronto each of the former municipalities had its own treatment plants and pumping stations. North York had three, one at Oriole, which was built in the 1923, the ruins of pumping station found near Duncan Mills Rd and Don Mills Rd, Steeles built in the 1930s, and Sheppard West built in the 1940s. Scarborough had one built in 1921 and New Toronto had one built in 1924. Prior to the 1950s, the municipalities were responsible for water treatment and water came from local water sources like wells and streams. Metro Toronto The current system was introduced in the mid-1950s, with the formation of Metro Toronto in 1954, and was managed by Metro Toronto. Since 1975, Toronto has supplied water to York Region (mostly to residents in the south end of York). City of Toronto Following amalgamation in 1998, Toronto Water was created from the Toronto Works and Emergency Services and once part of Metro Toronto Works department. As of April 2005, the departments and commissioners were replaced by divisions under the City Manager (and Deputy Managers). Toronto Water is now under the Toronto Water Division. Drinking water operations Treatment process Water pumped from Lake Ontario is treated via conventional drinking water treatment processes: Pre-chlorination Flocculation and sedimentation Filtration Chlorination Chloramination, prior to distribution Treatment plants The City of Toronto uses four water treatment plants, all of which are located next to and get their water from Lake Ontario: R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant The R. C. Harris Water Treatment Plant is located east of Old Toronto at the eastern end of Queen St East and the foot of Victoria Park Ave at Lake Ontario. It is the oldest of the operational water treatment plants in Toronto, being opened on November 1, 1941 after construction started in 1932. The plant has a capacity of and produces approximately 30% of Toronto's drinking water. The intakes are located over from shore in of water, running through two