This historical Ottawa building hit a milestone anniversary

Ottawa’s oldest water facility, which had humble beginnings pumping water from the river through turbine wheels, has hit a milestone anniversary.

The Fleet Street Pumping Station located at Lebreton Flats in the downtown core celebrated 150 years. The building was originally intended for fighting fires after the fear of large-scale urban blazes grew in the late 1800s, a press release from the city notes.

On Oct. 24, 1874 the building opened its doors pumping water into the city’s distribution system. The structure was designed by Thomas Keefer, who had a resume of many water systems for municipalities across the country.

It features gravity-based and water-powered turbines to drive the equipment rather than the traditional steam-driven engines at the time.

It was later updated to provide the city’s first form of safe drinking water for public use, before this people got water from wells or from carriers door-to-door.

“The pumping station remains a lasting tribute to the prominent engineers responsible for its design and construction, and the many team members who have meticulously maintained it over the years,” the city said.

It was designated a heritage building in 1982 and continues to be “key” in providing clean drinking water. The municipality said it continues to pump water to over 950,000 people connected to the central water supply.

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