This paper offers a case study of automation in a water treatment plant in Toledo, Ohio (focusing on chemical handling and feeding) and gives a lengthy list of recommendations for other utilities considering installation of a new instrumentation system or the update of an older system. The Toledo system will save the City of Toledo money on chemical, energy, and manpower expenditures. A study completed prior to the detailed design and subsequent construction of the system, showed that the system will pay for itself in six years. This paper describes Toledo's water source, treatment train, treatment plant configuration, and chemical control loops. Detailed discussion on the savings in energy and manpower are given, as well as the list of recommendations on designing an automation system.