Delco Water

Del-Co Water, a 501-C (12) corporation, is a private public drinking water company with a service area that extends into six central Ohio counties. As a public water supplier, Del-Co Water operates under the authority of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA). A license (PWS-2101412) issued by Ohio EPA covers the operation and maintenance activities related to the four water treatment facilities, the network of underground piping and a series of thirty elevated storage tanks.

Over the years Del-Co Water has increased the capacity of the drinking water system in response to the rapid growth of population in the central Ohio counties. Currently the design capacity of the treatment facilities is thirty-three million gallons of drinking water per day. Del-Co Water is currently reviewing demographic projections with the expectation of continued growth of residential communities within the Del-Co Water service area. With this information, Del-Co Water is planning to keep pace with this further expansion by identifying and designing the key infrastructure elements. Del-Co Water is committed to providing the best level of service related to drinking water to all customers both current and future.

Del-Co Water Company was formed in 1969 when Ralph Scott, Timothy McNamara, and Gerald Solt foresaw the need for a dependable supply of quality drinking water in southern Delaware County. Overall the quantity and quality of groundwater in Delaware County varied greatly making it an unpredictable source of drinking water for county residents. It was believed that a rural water system could provide adequate volumes of high quality drinking water which would promote favorable conditions for rapid community growth.

These men gathered support from the community and arranged financing through the USDA Farmers Home Administration. Working with civil engineers, they designed a treatment plant with a capacity of one million gallons per day. The original distribution system consisted of two hundred miles of underground pipe and a single elevated tank. Del-Co Water has since grown to be one of the largest public water systems in the State of Ohio, with over 44,000 current customers.

Operationally, Del-Co Water has earned an excellent reputation for providing high quality drinking water and for providing unmatched customer service. Del-Co Water obtains its raw water from both surface and ground water sources. Alum Creek and the Olentangy River are the primary surface water streams utilized and an aquifer located in northern Morrow County and southern Knox County is the groundwater source.

One unique feature Del-Co Water employs is the utilization of a series of six up-ground reservoirs. These structures provide an opportunity for Del-Co Water to accumulate raw water during periods of the year when streams and rivers are under full flow and then utilize this water during the hot, dry periods when stream flows reach minimum pool depths. The total capacity of the Del-Co Water reservoirs is 2.6 + billion gallons.

Checking on Water Availability

Parties or individuals interested in developing residential and commercial subdivisions or individual commercial lots should first check on water availability to the site. Our system map shows the general area served by Del-Co Water. To obtain specific information on water availability, contact our Engineering Department.

Some townships in our service area require the developer to provide them with a 'letter of water availability' from Del-Co. To request this letter, send a letter, fax, or email to Del-Co Water, and provide the following information:

Map or address defining the location of the development.
Type and density of development.
Total acreage.

If water is not currently available at the site, it is the developer's responsibility to extend a water line to the development.

Preliminary Review

If the Delaware County Regional Planning Commission (DCRPC) is reviewing your development, you will have an opportunity for a technical review before it is presented to the commissioners. As a courtesy, the DCRPC sends a copy of the preliminary plan to Del-Co and invites us to sit in on the technical review meeting. We will provide you with preliminary comments and a list of submittal requirements for the detailed engineering drawings at this meeting.

If the development is not located in DCRPC's jurisdiction, then it is up to the developer to contact Del-Co water directly early on in the process to obtain our requirements for providing water service.

Detailed Engineering Review

Submit two copies of the detailed engineering drawings to Del-Co for review. Water lines shall be shown in plan and profile views. The plan view shall also include street, sanitary, and storm sewer features. Del-Co construction standards, details, and other requirements can be found in the Construction Section of the Downloads Page.

After the drawings are reviewed and marked with comments and corrections, you will be notified to pick up one copy at our office. Upon making the corrections, return two full-sized sets and two reduced sets (11' X 17') of the corrected drawings, the original cover signature sheet, and our markup drawing. You will be notified when the cover sheet is signed and ready for pick-up.

Ohio EPA Review

It is the developer's responsibility to ensure that plans are submitted to Ohio EPA for approval, including payment of their review fees. Be aware that the Ohio EPA requires Del-Co to review and approve the plans before they are sent to them. Plans should be sent to:

Ohio EPA, Central District Office
122 South Front Street, 5th Floor
PO Box 1049
Columbus, OH 43216-1049

Construction of the water line cannot begin until Del-Co has received the Ohio EPA approval letter.

Fire Department Review

Some of the local fire departments require a review of the water line drawings for the purpose of fire hydrant spacing and fire department connections. Check with the local fire department to determine if this applies to your development. Where this applies, we require a statement from the fire department saying they have approved the fire hydrant locations.