Surface water from Lake Michigan has been Kenosha’s source for drinking water since 1894. The O. Fred Nelson Water Production Plant can treat and deliver over 35 million gallons of drinking water per day. The water production facility has two separate processes to provide your drinking water: a Rapid Sand Filtration Plant and a Continuous Membrane Filtration Plant. Following filtration, chlorine is added as a disinfectant, fluoride is added to help prevent tooth decay, an ortho-phosphate is added for lead and copper corrosion control and occasionally potassium permanganate is added to help reduce taste and odor issues.