Del-Co Water Company was formed in 1969 when Ralph Scott, Timothy McNamara, and Gerald Solt foresaw the need for a dependable supply of quality drinking water in southern Delaware County. Overall, the quantity and quality of groundwater in Delaware County varied greatly making it an unpredictable source of drinking water for county residents. It was believed that a rural water system could provide adequate volumes of high quality drinking water which would promote favorable conditions for rapid community growth. These men gathered support from the community and arranged financing through the USDA Farmers Home Administration. Working with civil engineers, they designed a treatment plant with a capacity of one million gallons per day. The original distribution system consisted of two hundred miles of underground pipe and a single elevated tank. Del-Co Water has since grown to be one of the largest public water systems in the State of Ohio, with over 50,000 current customers. Operationally, Del-Co Water has earned an excellent reputation for providing high quality drinking water and for providing unmatched customer service. Del-Co Water obtains its raw water from both surface and ground water sources. Alum Creek and the Olentangy River are the primary surface water streams utilized and an aquifer located in northern Morrow County and southern Knox County is the groundwater source. One unique feature Del-Co Water employs is the utilization of a series of six up-ground reservoirs. These structures provide an opportunity for Del-Co Water to accumulate raw water during periods of the year when streams and rivers are under full flow and then utilize this water during the hot, dry periods when stream flows reach minimum pool depths. The total capacity of the Del-Co Water reservoirs is 2.6 + billion gallons.