BIRMINGHAM WATER WORKS AND SEWER BOARD

The Birmingham Water Works Board is committed to providing the highest quality water and service to our customers and our entire service area.

As a concerned corporate citizen, we are responsive to the needs of the entire community and strive to maintain, preserve and conserve our precious water resources in order to ensure adequate water quality and supply for future generations.

The citizens of Birmingham established the current Water Board in 1951, but the Birmingham Water Works system dates back to 1873, just two years after the founding of Birmingham.

The development of a reliable water source brought industries to the area, and the Magic City was born. From the beginning, the managers of the system have worked diligently to provide customers with the highest quality water that science and technology will allow.

In 1951, Birmingham decided to purchase the water system from a private operator and establish an independent Water Board. The benefit of an independent water system rather than one run by City Hall is that water revenues can be used for water system maintenance and upgrades rather than other unforeseen projects.

As the city began to grow so did the need to tap into more water sources and increase system efficiency. Birmingham Water Works officials saw major expansions every decade from 1950 to the present. The system now boasts four water sources and approximately 3, 903 miles of transmission lines. Efficiency remains key as more than 500 employees operate this expansive system.

The 1990s saw the addition of the Industrial Water Board and extensive upgrades to Shades Mountain Filter Plant. To remain at the forefront of water treatment technology, the BWW invested more resources into water inspections and delivery enhancements with the addition of the EnviroLab and the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.

The Birmingham Water Works continues to plan for our region's growth. With shifts in population across the region and growth in the suburban areas, the BWW is seeking out new sources and upgrading the system to handle these changes.