Louisville Water Company. Filtration Plant- In the late 1800s, Louisville Water Company pioneered research in the filtration of drinking water. The Crescent Hill Filtration Plant opened in July 1909 as a result of the work of Chief Engineer Charles Hermany & George Warren Fuller, who developed “rapid sand filtration.” Fuller is known as the “father of sanitary engineering.” (Reverse) Reservoir and Gatehouse- In 1879, Louisville Water Company opened the Reservoir & Gatehouse as the first step to develop the purification process for drinking water. The Reservoir allowed sediment from the Ohio River water to naturally settle. Inside the Gothic-style Gatehouse are valves that controlled the flow of water into and out of the Reservoir.