Board Chair Alex Sciulli unveils a plaque bearing the names of Pittsburgh Water leadership, City leadership, and professional partners who made the Highland Reservoir Pump Station's construction possible

December 18, 2025

Pittsburgh, PA

Earlier today, Pittsburgh Water welcomed elected officials, regulatory partners, labor leaders, and members of the media to the site of the new Highland Reservoir Pump Station in Highland Park to celebrate the substantial completion of the utility’s first major new construction project in two decades. 

The substantial completion marks the end of major construction activities, with final commissioning and regulatory approvals still underway.  

Once operational in early 2026, the new pump station will provide additional service capacity and critical redundancy, improving service reliability for more than half of Pittsburgh Water’s drinking water customers. This added capacity will reduce the likelihood of service interruptions that have led to power outages and boil water advisories in the past. The new pump station plays a key role in laying the groundwork for Pittsburgh Water’s ambitious Water Reliability Plan, a multi-year initiative to modernize the city’s water infrastructure.  

“As we gather to celebrate the near-completion of the Highland Reservoir Pump Station, I can't help but reflect on the progress Pittsburgh Water has made in the past few years, and the history-making projects that lie just ahead of us,” said Will Pickering, Pittsburgh Water CEO. “As our first major new construction in 20 years, this pump station is a tangible symbol of the transformation underway across our water system. This achievement reflects the dedication of our team and the strength of our partnerships, and it signals a new era for Pittsburgh Water, defined by historic investments in our water system that will meet the needs of current customers while preparing Pittsburgh Water for a more resilient tomorrow.”

Pittsburgh Water CEO Will Pickering addresses the audience at the Pump Station dedication event

Attendees heard remarks from Pickering, Pittsburgh Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak; Barry King, Director of Engineering and Construction, Water Programs; Mario Camerota, Senior Group Manager, Facilities Construction; Pittsburgh Water Board Member BJ Leber; and Board Chair Alex Sciulli.  

This milestone event also recognized the leadership of Board Chair Alex Sciulli and Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, both of whom are concluding their terms this year. A commemorative plaque bearing their names was unveiled and will be permanently installed at the pump station to honor their roles in advancing the project from groundbreaking to near completion. 

“It’s been one of the great honors of my career to serve as Board Chair during such a pivotal time for Pittsburgh Water,” said Sciulli. “The completion of the Highland Reservoir Pump Station is a major milestone for the Water Reliability Plan, and it symbolizes the dedication, professionalism, and vision that define the entire Pittsburgh Water team. I’m deeply grateful to have played a role in supporting these historic undertakings, and I leave my post with full confidence in the team’s ability to continue building a stronger, more resilient water system for future generations.” 

Representing the Gainey administration, Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak reflected on the significance of the project. “Keeping the focus on critical infrastructure improvements like the Highland Reservoir Pump Station represents the commitment of City leadership and of Pittsburgh Water to continue improving quality of life for the residents and community members we serve,” Pawlak said. “The Water Reliability Plan is a promise to Pittsburghers that their water system will be strong, reliable, and ready for the future, and our administration is proud to have been a partner in getting this project across the finish line.” 

Exterior of the substantially complete Highland Reservoir Pump Station, December 18, 2025

Project Details 

The $42 million project is the first major new structure Pittsburgh Water has built in approximately 20 years. Its completion will come approximately $4 million under budget, reflecting Pittsburgh Water’s attention to responsible stewardship of ratepayer funds. The new, modern station provides an additional pumping capacity of 56 million gallons per day (MGD) of additional water service as a redundant supply to the Highland I Service Area which serves more than half of the utility’s drinking water customers, including residents in Pittsburgh’s eastern neighborhoods, the Hill District, and parts of Oakland.  

The new pump station will be placed into service once Pittsburgh Water receives its operating permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The facility is on track to be placed into service in early 2026, marking the completion of this project. 

“The substantial completion of the Highland Reservoir Pump Station marks a major achievement for our engineering and construction teams, and a major step toward the eventual completion of our Water Reliability Plan,” said Barry King, Director of Engineering and Construction, Water Programs. “This facility represents the kind of modern, resilient infrastructure our city deserves, and its delivery is the result of careful planning, technical precision, and the hard work of skilled professionals committed to excellence.” 

The pump station’s construction was preceded by the installation of new large-diameter water mains and rehabilitation of existing ones in the surrounding Highland Park neighborhood that will connect to the new station. This preparation work was completed in late 2023. 

The Water Reliability Plan 

The Water Reliability Plan is a series of multi-generational infrastructure projects designed to modernize and reinforce Pittsburgh’s drinking water system for decades to come. The plan’s most expansive undertaking – the ABC Project – entered the construction phase in November of this year. The capstone of the multi-year plan is the removal and replacement of the Water Treatment Plant’s Clearwell, the 44-million-gallon disinfection basin that’s been in constant service since its installation over a century ago. The complexity of carrying out these historic infrastructure overhauls while maintaining safe, reliable water access throughout the plan’s duration required careful, strategic sequencing of events. Because of this, many of the large-scale projects included in the Water Reliability Plan would not be possible without the added redundancy and capacity provided by the Highland Reservoir Pump Station. 

“The pumping capacity and system redundancy provided by this pump station will be critical in enabling us to move forward with the once-in-a-century infrastructure projects that make up our Water Reliability Plan,” said Pickering. “The completion of this facility is a major milestone on our way to completing the largest series of construction projects our city’s water system has seen since its original installation.” 

In addition to its noted improvements to Pittsburgh’s water infrastructure, the Highland Reservoir Pump Station has also delivered meaningful economic benefits to the region. Supporting more than 470 jobs and an estimated $83 million in economic output generated throughout the life of the project, this investment has supported local union labor, strengthened regional supply chains, and stimulated business-to-business activity. As Pittsburgh Water continues to modernize its system, these infrastructure projects serve as engines of economic growth, creating opportunities and reinforcing the value of public investment in essential services.