Utilities Service Board Approves Upgrades to Drinking Water Plant

​At the March 10, 2025 regular meeting of the Utilities Service Board, the Board approved a resolution to make several upgrades to the Monroe Water Treatment Plant. As part of Mayor Thomson’s Transition Report, enhancing infrastructure at this plant is a priority for the City. Wessler Engineering worked with City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) to develop the project scope, schedule, and cost estimates to upgrade the drinking water plant and secure the necessary funding.

“A city’s infrastructure is only as strong as its commitment to maintaining and improving it. The upgrades to the Monroe Water Treatment Plant are not only about repairs—they are about future-proofing Bloomington’s water system,” says Mayor Kerry Thomson. “Water is the foundation of public health, and ensuring its safety and reliability is one of our most important responsibilities as a city.”

A $5mil contract was awarded to Thieneman Construction to improve the plant’s treatment feed system for disinfection chemicals and fluoride, to add a backwash pump to increase reliability, and replace existing lighting with LEDs for energy efficiency. The entire project’s substantial completion date is slated for Fall 2026.

“We need to make sure our essential infrastructure is prepared to meet the needs of future generations. This project is vital to the safety and sustainability of the Monroe Plant, which has been providing safe, clean water since 1967,” says Utilities Director Katherine Zaiger.

To learn about Bloomington's water, see CBU’s 2024 Water Quality Report at bloomington.in.gov/utilities/water-quality and view the latest water quality data at data.bloomington.in.gov.