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Milwaukee River Flushing Station
Society
Main Category
Sub Category
Era
Date Created
Location Country
us
Coordinates
43.053643, -87.886715
Address1
River
Address2
1701 Lincoln Memorial Drive
City
Milwaukee
State
Country

This pump, designed by Edwin Reynolds (1831-1909) and built by the Edward P. Allis company, is the major component of one of the earliest water-pollution control systems. It was capable of pumping more than a half billion gallons of water a day, the highest-capacity pump in the world when installed. It still is used during the summer to pump water from Lake Michigan into the Milwaukee River upstream of the downtown area. This maintains a current in the lower portion of the river and greatly reduces the concentration of pollutants.

The pump continues in service to this day, 104 years following its initial operation. The original steam engine and boiler plant were removed in 1908, at which time the pump was repowered by an electric motor. The pump house is located on the lake front.

One of the earliest water-pollution control systems, reducing the concentration of pollutants in an urban stream
Image Caption
Milwaukee River Flushing Station

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