Oakmont Water Authority

Oakmont Water Authority Municipal Water Report Information

Where Does My Water Come From?
Oakmont Water Authority customers benefit from abundant water supplied by the Allegheny River. Our Hulton Purification Plant draws directly from this vital waterway, which is continuously replenished by northern reservoirs including Kinzua Dam and Allegheny Reservoir, Tionesta Lake, East Branch Clarion River Lake, Mahoning Creek Lake, Crooked Creek Lake, Conemaugh River Lake, and Loyalhanna Lake, plus numerous underground sources, creeks, and springs. Collectively, our treatment facility delivers approximately two billion gallons of purified water annually.

How is My Water Treated & Purified?
Our treatment process involves multiple critical steps. Initially, raw water from the Allegheny River receives sodium permanganate to address taste, odor, iron, manganese, and disinfection byproducts. The water then flows to mixing tanks where carbon, polyaluminumchloride, and soda ash create "floc" particles that become heavy enough to settle in basins where mechanical scrapers remove sediment. We add fluoride to prevent tooth decay and chlorine for disinfection.

After mixing, water travels to sedimentation basins where heavier particles settle out. It then passes through layers of fine coal, silicate sand, and gravel filters that remove smaller suspended particles. The clarified water moves to underground storage chambers. Additional chlorine provides further disinfection, while phosphate helps control corrosion. Sodium hydroxide adjusts pH to optimal levels. Before distribution, ultraviolet treatment destroys microbiological contaminants like cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia. From March through November, we incorporate small amounts of ammonia to form chloramines, which help reduce disinfection byproducts.