New water tank to help solve pressure problems

Tower on Ohio 4 and Weaver Road should make taps flow better.

GERMANTOWN — Call it a tale of two towers.

The one, on Weaver Road, holds a million gallons of drinking water for Germantown residents. It’s a little battered by the weather, and it’s unable to supply enough pressure for some taps.

The other, under construction near Ohio 4, will hold 750,000 gallons and should get the taps spurting again.

Germantown Mayor Ted Landis said, “that particular tank has a high elevation which will alleviate some of the problems we’re having at Ron Heights.”

The Ron Heights subdivision is in the northern part of the village and bounded by Farmersville-Germantown Pike to its west.

“The water pressure there is not real great,” Landis said, and that led to complaints from residents. “If you have a washing machine going you can’t take a shower,” Landis said.

The current water tank on Weaver Road is in need of exterior maintenance. Its once white and blue exterior is mottled with rust. But Landis said it’s structurally sound and “it’s not going to fall down,” he said.

Steve Fugate, supervisor of water and sanitary sewer for Germantown, agrees. “The plates on that old tank are about three-quarter inch steel. It looks worse than it really is,” Fugate said.

Even with the village adding a second water storage tank, the current one will stay in service. It’s main target area in the future will be water for the downtown area.

During the middle of last year, the village decided something had to be done about the water pressure problems. “We got real serious about it and decided we’d have to do it,” Landis said.

Germantown sought a grant but was turned down.

“It depends on how many jobs you’re going to create, Actually, this is not going to create any jobs,” Landis said.

Caldwell Tanks in Louisville, Ky., is constructing the new tank. The “drop dead” date for completion is August, but Landis said work is proceeding right on schedule. Even on Sundays in February, the blue-white flare of welding torches can be seen spraying sparks from on high. The tank is “composite” concrete columns with a steel bowl.

“It gives us less steel to have to paint,” Fugate said.

A platform and handrails on top anticipate possible cell phone antennas. There’s also a 30-foot diameter room underneath, complete with garage door access. Fugate said it’s large enough to provide storage for items such as a tractor.

The tower construction phase is ending. Then underground plumbing work will begin. Finally, in early spring, painters should begin their work. That includes applying a Germantown logo.

Contact this reporter at (937) 696-2080 or williamgschmidt@verizon.net.

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