Electric and Water Distribution / Village Of Yellow Springs, Ohio

Electric and Water Distribution

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We are public power 2022

From left to right: Foreman Ben Sparks, Jeff Horn, Public Works Director Johnnie Burns, Dustin Harris

Ben Sparks

Superintendent


Brad Ault	Dustin Harris	Jeff Jorn	Kevin Martin
Water Treatment Plant	Water & Electric	Water & Electric	Water Treatment Plant

Foreman Ben Sparks, along with three other employees (Dustin Harris, Austin Pence and Jeff Horn), is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the electric utility and the water distribution system. The electric utility includes all lines, transformers, switching stations and poles. The water distribution system includes all main water lines that carry water from the water plant or water towers to any private service, as well as all fire hydrants.

The Village purchased the water system from Antioch College around 1927. The well field was in the north end of town now known as Ellis Park. The storage tank, or tower, was on the property now occupied by the Electroshield business at 708 South High Street. As the Village began to grow in the mid-to-late 1950s, the need for more capacity became apparent. A new treatment plant and wells were established at the present site on Jacoby Road in 1963. At the same time, a new storage tank was erected at its current location in Gaunt Park. A second tower was erected in 1978 after the first tower froze during the deep freeze in 1977 and was severely damaged.

Our current water distribution system consists of approximately thirty miles of water line, varying in size from 2” in diameter to 16” in diameter. The lines also vary in type, as some are cast iron or ductile iron while other are galvanized or plastic.

The Village has two elevated storage tanks, which are approximately 73 feet tall from the base to the top of the tower. The tanks hold 1,000,000 gallons each. The system also includes approximately 200 fire hydrants.

Meter readers

From Left: Rose Pelzl, Meter Reader., Travis Hotaling, Meter Reader.

Meter readers Rose Pelzl and Travis Hotaling, also important members of Ben's crew, take regular reads of all electric and water meters in the Village to keep billing moving smoothly. They also repair broken meters and install new ones, as necessary.