The watershed area comprises approximately 175 square miles of primarily rural and suburban lands. The raw water enters an intake structure located along the Tulpehocken Creek. The intake consists of a coarse screen to prevent large materials from entering. The screens have slots only 0.100-inch wide to further prevent large particles from being drawn into the treatment plant. PAC is most effective on earthy and musty tastes and odors.
Water enters the plant through the pipeline and is pumped through one of two raw water pumps.
A variable speed coupling allows for adjusting flow to meet changing requirements. As the water exits the pumps and goes into a manifold, another chemical, potassium permanganate is added. Potassium permanganate is another chemical for taste and odor control. This chemical works as an oxidant and is effective for fishy tastes and odors as well as reducing iron and manganese levels in the raw water. As the water continues farther along in the plant, chlorine is added as a pre-disinfectant.