Pennsylvania American Water Completes $11M Water Treatment System Upgrade In Jefferson County

Major improvements aim to enhance water storage, reliability and fire protection in Punxsutawney

Pennsylvania American Water recently completed two major water storage projects in Punxsutawney, which began in 2022 and represent a combined investment of $11M to enhance system reliability, fire protection and operational flexibility.

“These investments are critical to ensuring safe, reliable water service and supporting future growth in the Punxsutawney area,” said Jon Natale, senior manager of operations for Pennsylvania American Water. “By replacing aging infrastructure with modern storage solutions, we’re improving water quality, fire flow capabilities and system resiliency.”

The company completed construction of a 500,000-gallon elevated storage tank on the south side of Punxsutawney near Alliance Drive. This $5.5M project addresses the South Main gradient, which previously lacked dedicated storage and relied on a continuously operated booster pump station. The new tank, completed in October 2024, serves approximately 15 percent of the system, including many commercial and industrial customers.

Simultaneously, Pennsylvania American Water upgraded its West End Reservoir site, replacing a nearly 100-year-old, 2-million-gallon concrete tank that had exceeded its useful life. The $5.5M project included the construction of two 750,000-gallon concrete tanks with the same overflow elevation as the original reservoir. The first tank was completed in October 2023, followed by the second tank in June 2024. The original reservoir was demolished in December 2024.

This infrastructure upgrade project is an essential investment in public health and safety and helps support the economic health of the community. Economic impact studies show that for every $1M invested in water infrastructure, upwards of 15 jobs are generated throughout the economy. Statewide, Pennsylvania American Water invested more than $675M in 2024 alone to improve its water and wastewater treatment and pipeline systems, supporting more than 10,125 jobs through these continued investments.

Pennsylvania American Water serves approximately 3,800 Jefferson County customers in Punxsutawney and Big Run boroughs and portions of Bell, Gaskills, Young and McCalmont townships.

About American Water
American Water is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water’s 6,700 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders. For more information, visit amwater.com.

About Pennsylvania American Water
Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water utility in the state, providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 2.4 million people.