The First Sewers
The first sewers were built at the end of the nineteenth century. These sewers were constructed to move domestic waste away from populated areas. The sewers were designed to handle both sanitary wastewater and stormwater. The effluent from the combined sewers was discharged directly into the Maumee and Auglaize Rivers. This practice of sewage disposal continued until the 1950s.
Treating the Influent in the 1950s
In the 1950s, significant growth in the City's population caused an increase in pollution in surrounding rivers and streams. The health hazards resulting from the pollution prompted the City to build an interceptor sewer and a primary treatment plant. The project was completed in 1956 at a cost of more than $2 million.
Updating the System in the 1960s
In 1962, the City developed a plan to construct new sanitary sewers in non-sewered areas to update and relieve overloading in the existing system. The wastewater treatment plant was expanded from primary to secondary treatment to meet the growing demand for clean water. This project was completed in 1969.