FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Using Lutheran Hospital as a backdrop, Mayor Tom Henry and other community and business leaders praised progress in converting Aboite Township to city water.

The medical center uses about 3 million gallons of water per month, making it one of the largest customers the expansion.

With the announcement Monday, more than 4,000 customers have been connected to the city, that leaves about 8,000 customers yet to be converted.  Mayor Henry calls the transition a quality of life issue and a water quality issue.

He says when the project is completed this year, about 12,000 customers will see a big improvement in quality. Last year the city completed a $67 million dollar deal to purchase the struggling water utility.