A glass beaker, like one many high school students use in chemistry class, sits at the edge of a sink inside Sewickley Water Authority's water treatment plant on Ohio River Boulevard.

Half-filled with water, the beaker is how water consumed by residents of Sewickley, Osborne, Haysville and Sewickley Heights, is sampled for correct levels of fluoride, chlorine and filtration. A simple process, yet the container represents a by-gone era of hands-on mechanics.

Today, after decades of technological advances and upgrades, a computer now displays gauges for all of the pumps, motors, water flow and water levels in the system in real time. With the click of a mouse, valves can be turned on or off, water flow can be manipulated, or the entire system can be shut down.

"Before (computers), you had to bring a hammer with you when you wanted to open or close a valve because they were so old and corroded," says Bruno Russo, the main plant operator.

But a recent $6 million upgrade to the Sewickley Water Authority boosts it into the future and, except for replacing the pipes, routine maintenance, adding chemicals and doing repairs, makes the system automated.

Current water rates include a nearly 60 percent capital improvement fee.

The new system will go online by Tuesday, July 17, says Ray Wolf-gang, superintendent of Sewickley Water. About 80 percent of Sewickley Water Authority customers will notice an increase in water pressure.

But customers will never see the real upgrades.

At the treatment plant in Osborne, two new pumps will push water to new reservoirs at the northern edge of Sewickley Borough at about 1,500 gallons per minute.

Replacing two reservoirs that currently hold 6 million gallons are two that hold a total of 3 million gallons.

From there, gravity will bring the water down to faucets in Sewickley, Osborne and Haysville.

The water going to Sewickley Heights will be pumped there by five new motors designed to automatically adjust power so pressure always stays the same.

The water authority has been testing the new pumps since the beginning of June.

"It's more reliable with modern technology and should provide more uniform pressure," Wolfgang says.

From his office, where construction is still ongoing, he says: "Everything looks beat up and old, but we're starting to get caught up with technology.

"Every water plant has to upgrade to keep up."