The original wastewater treatment plant in Garrettsville was constructed in 1960. The plant had a capacity of 0.150 million gallons per day (MGD) daily flow and consisted of screening, primary settling, a trickling filter, a secondary settling tank, an anaerobic digester, and three sludge drying beds. In 1964 a single grinding device was added to the influent. During the 1970’s, the anaerobic digester was converted to an aerobic unit, and chlorine disinfection was added to the effluent. In 1985, the plant was changed to an aeration/clarification system which featured in-tank clarification that had an average daily design flow of 0.285 MGD and a peak flow of 0.300 MGD. At that time, the trickling filter basin was converted to a flow equalization basin, the existing office became a blower building, and the current office and laboratory were constructed.

The 1990 improvements consisted of an influent structure, which housed two new grinding units, and split flows between the existing and newly installed extended aeration system. The facility treatment capacity was increased to 0.356 MGD daily flow and 0.585 MGD peak. Also added at the time was a new blower/generator building and a 320,000 gallon flow equalization basin.

In 1994, disinfection improvements were constructed. An ultraviolet disinfection channel was installed and the chlorination facilities abandoned. The chlorination tank was refurbished to become a plant effluent pumping station during wet weather and the sampling chamber was updated.

In 2007, along the wastewater access drive, a new 18″ interceptor replaced the original 15″ piping and the existing 2″ water service line was upgraded to a 4″ water main.

In 2009, planning was set in motion to construct an extended aeration plant expansion to increase facility capacity and sludge storage, as well as improve treatment effluent and replace failing treatment units. In 2010, detailed design documents were prepared and the project bid with construction beginning in December that same year. During this expansion, treatment design capacity was increased to 0.5 MGD daily flow and 1.2 MGD peak flows, a fine screen solids compaction unit replaced the solids grinding devices, and tertiary treatment through two disk filters was added prior to disinfection. Initiation of operation began in February 2012 and in its first four years of operation the facility has obtained removal efficiencies in excess of 99% for both the total suspended solids and the CBOD (pollutional strength).