The water plant shortly after it was built, 1894.

Prior to 1890s, Winnetkans accessed water through individual wells. In 1892, the population of the Village reached approximately 1,200, and the use of wells became inadequate for water supply and fire prevention. Thus, the Village decided to build a pumping station and water distribution system.The pumping station was completed the following year, with a dedication ceremony on October 10, 1893 and was connected to one 1,200-foot-long intake line extending into Lake Michigan. As part of the project, the Village also constructed a 138-foot water tower with the capacity to hold 46,000 gallons. The water was pumped into the tower by two steam-driven pumps, which had the capacity to pump 750,000 gallons per day.

The Winnetka water plant, 1908.

In 1900, the first electric generating equipment was added to the plant, creating the electric plant on the same site. One of the benefits of the coal-burning boilers was the provision of heat to prevent the water in the tower from freezing. A duct line was built to carry the hot gases up the bluff into the water tower. Shortly after the installation of electric generating equipment, the pumps in the plant were converted to electric.

Despite concerns about pollution arising as early as 1907, the Village used unfiltered water from the lake until the 1920s. After a series of typhoid deaths were possibly linked to Winnetka’s water supply in 1912, the Village installed chlorinating equipment to help clean the water. Even with chlorine, however, a 1916 report indicated that 1/4 of the samples taken from the drinking water were unsafe for consumption. A filtration system was finally installed in 1922 with additional filters added in the 1930s.

During the Depression and World War II, the increase in water demand in Winnetka slowed. Even though Winnetka had started supplying water to Northfield, the plant was able to adequately supply water without any additions for many years. In 1945, water consumption started to climb, creating a new need for more storage capacity. To assuage this issue, a 3,000,000-gallon underground reservoir was construction on Willow Road in Northfield in 1958.

As water capacity and demand increased, it became apparent that the filtration capacity had to be increased as well. After working with several state departments and consultants, and undergoing several sample tests, the existing filtration system was upgraded and additional filters installed in 1967.

Aerial view of the water and electric plant before the water tower was torn down, c. 1950s.

Similarly, over time, the pumps installed in the early 1900s were upgraded to high pressure pumps. By the early 1970s, these pumps had eliminated the necssity for the water tower which was in need of many repairs. Eventually the Village Council decided the cost of restoring the tower simply as a landmark was too high. In 1972, it was torn down, leaving the smokestack as the only part of the plant still visible from Tower Road.

Inside the water plant testing lab, 1993.

The water plant continues to provide water throughout the community for home use and fire protection. There are over 71 miles of water beneath Winnetka’s streets, stored and distributed through tanks and connected water mains. The Village’s water and electric utilities are still operated as a single department and are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure Winnetka’s water distribution is safe and effective.