SHARON, Pa. - Aqua Pennsylvania broke ground in Sharon on Wednesday for a project to improve drinking water for over 20,000 in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place at Aqua Pennsylvania's Shenango Valley Treatment Plant on North Water Avenue in Sharon. 

Aqua Pennsylvania President Marc Lucca tells 21 News the project will be an improvement to the Shenango Valley Plant, which serves over 20,000 customers across Mercer and Lawrence Counties, as well as parts of Trumbull County.

"In particular this plant will provide improvements to the pre-treatment component of our water treatment plant process," Lucca said.

Lucca explained that pre-treatment is one of the most important parts of that process because as water comes in from the river, it has to get treated right from the beginning.

"The water in its natural state is not suitable or healthy for people to drink. We absolutely need to have treatment," Lucca said.

Lucca explained that the pre-treatment process removes all solids, impurities and viruses that are found in the water before sending it to the filters. 

Lucca went on to say the improvement was necessary because the current plant is decades old.

"This system was ready to be changed. It aged out, what was here. Now we're putting in this new plant, which will provide improved water treatment to our customers," Lucca said.

Lucca says construction has already begun on this project and should be done by the end of 2025. At that time, Lucca says customers should begin to notice improved quality to their drinking water.

Lucca says there should no longer be any issues with taste or odor with customers' drinking water with the new system. Lucca assures customers that their water is still safe to drink now, but will simply be improved thanks to this project.