Roosevelt's water tower has met its final days
Borough may have to spend between $575K and $600K
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

ROOSEVELT - The borough's water tower, which is about as old as the town, needs to be replaced.

Borough Engineer Carmela Roberts discussed the town's water tower issues at the Borough Council's Jan. 22 meeting.

An original part of the 1935 design for Jersey Homesteads - which was what the borough was initially called - the tower on North Valley Road was constructed in 1937, according to Roberts. The current tank holds either 75,000 or 87,000 gallons, Roberts said, adding that she's leaning toward the lower number.

Roberts said the tower, which supplies water to the entire town, was recently inspected and found to be in poor condition. She said it should be repaired or replaced immediately, as its parts are no longer functioning as designed.

She said the top of the tank is welded to the bowl, the ladder inside the tower should not be used, and roof patches need to be enlarged. Roberts also said it appears that the inside of the tower was never painted.

"A tank not painted in 70 years would be extremely deteriorated, and it is," she said. "I think the writing is on the wall here."

Councilwoman Peggy Malkin asked who should have known that the tower needed to be painted inside. Roberts said the operator, the water engineer, and borough officials and administration should have known. She called the painting "a typical maintenance item," saying that most water towers are built of steel and therefore eventually rust or have their paint worn off.

Due to the aged condition of the tower, Roberts recommended replacing it.

"In my opinion, repair is not the best way to proceed," she said, adding that at this time the tower's interior is in worse condition than its exterior.

Roberts contacted Chicago Bridge and Iron, which she said is one of the largest water tower builders in the country. Roberts said a 200,000-gallon water tower would cost approximately $690,000, and a 100,000-gallon tank would cost $575,000. She said the price of steel has risen a great deal over the past few years, as has the cost of concrete, which is needed for the footing.

Repairing the current tower would cost about $300,000, she said. However, until all the water is taken out of it, she said, there is no way of knowing how bad the condition of the tower is.

"My reservations are [that] we will find more wrong with the tank," she said.

One contractor told Roberts a temporary 10,000-gallon tank would cost about $50,000.

"You will have spent $300,000 to blast and paint [and] $50,000 for water," she said, "and it's an almost 70-year-old tank that you've refurbished."

When asked if there are grants for funding the project, Roberts said that while such grants were available years ago, she is no longer aware of any for water/sewer facilities. But low-cost financing may be available, according to Roberts.

When Councilman Jeff Ellentuck asked if the borough could reduce the tank's height, Roberts said that it could but that the adjustment would not save that much money.

Roberts said the council should immediately begin to prepare for replacing the tower, as preparation will take several months due to financing, design specifications and other issues.

Repairing the tower would take at least two weeks, and Roberts said she could not guarantee that the borough would have a safe water supply during that time. She said the borough may have difficulty providing water to the town while work is being done on the tower.

Ellentuck asked if temporary tanks or trucks could provide water while the tower is being repaired or a new tower is being installed.

Borough Administrator William Schmeling said the borough could build a new water tower next to the old one. Roberts agreed, noting that the water tower is at the highest elevation in town and provides good pressure to the lowest and most distant places.

Roberts said a new tower would not require many piping changes. She suggested installing the new tower, getting it up and running, and taking the old tower out of service.

When asked about the possibility of maintaining the old tower as a backup, she said she did not think it would be worth maintaining.

"It's just too far gone," she said.

Roberts pointed out that a new tower would someday need interior painting, which may require a backup water source.