After nearly a decade of planning and construction, Denver Water’s Northwater Treatment Plant is complete.

Situated next to Ralston Reservoir, north of Golden along Highway 93 in Jefferson County, the new drinking water facility became operational earlier this year and can treat up to 75 million gallons of water a day.

Denver Water spokesperson Jimmy Luthye said the entire North System Renewal project, including building the Northwater Treatment Plant, installing a new 8.5-mile pipeline and redeveloping the Moffat Treatment Plant cost about $600 million.

“All Denver Water customers will benefit from this state-of-the-art facility, which provides critical updates to an aging 80-year-old system that was reaching the end of its lifespan,” Luthye said of the 183-acre site. “Over time, the new plant will replace the utility’s Moffat Treatment Plant, which was built in Lakewood in the 1930s. This new plant will help us better meet the needs of a changing regulatory environment, the impacts of climate change and the need to be more sustainable in our operations.”

The facility is unique in many ways, according to Denver Water’s project website.

For example, the new plant uses deeper filter beds to remove dirt particles from water. The deeper filters can be operated for more extended periods between cleanings, making them better suited for treating water affected by wildfires or floods.

Ultraviolet technology helps clean the water and reduces the time and amount of chemicals needed to disinfect it before delivering it to customers.

A hydroelectric generator harnesses power from the flowing water and can produce more energy than the facility needs to operate.

“This plant helps us be ready for the next 100 years,” Nicole Poncelet-Johnson, director of Water Quality and Treatment, said. “It’s a great investment in the future for Denver Water and its customers.”