History

For nearly seventy years, Food Processors Water Cooperative has been providing water to the Timberville food manufacturing businesses and nearby residents. From its beginning in 1945, the water cooperative has been a reliable source of potable water to these operations and has played a key role in the growth and stability of these businesses.

The water cooperative went into operation in 1946 with four customers, one employee, 300,000 gallons of storage, 4,428 feet of water lines installed for distribution and a treatment plant with the capacity to treat 500,000 gallons per day. Getting its water from the North Fork of the Shenandoah, the water cooperative is the second oldest High Rate Water Treatment Plant in Virginia. Employing the Robert’s Filter Manhattan Process, the facility provides drinking water of an exceptional quality. As demand for services increased, it has been necessary to increase the size of the facility. Currently, the water cooperative has 28 customers, seven employees, 3,300,000 gallons of storage, 13,239 feet of distribution lines and a treatment capacity of 2,000,000 gallons per day. Annual water sales are nearly 500 million gallons.

In addition to providing water to its owners, Pilgrim’s Pride and Cargill Meat Solutions, the water cooperative sells water to other bulk use customers including businesses and the Towns of Broadway and Timberville.