Interesting Fact (but not Walnut Hills related.)

The man-made lagoon with the bright blue water along the south side of Route 4 near the Findlay Street exit is related to the Water Department’s water softening process. The Water Department uses what is commonly known as quick lime as a softening agent in its water treatment process. Most of the byproducts created by this process are normally recovered by Dayton’s Lime Reclamation Facility. However, twice each year, the Reclamation Facility is taken offline for cleaning and inspection. During this time, the excess byproducts are pumped directly to the lagoon, giving the water its vivid blue or green color. When the lagoon contains too much lime, it is dredged and the product is sold off as an application on farmland to enrich the soil.