July 21, 2023 |
Photo – Saratoga Water Towers – by Matt Copeland Bigfoot99
The leaking water tank south of Saratoga is scheduled to be demolished soon.
One of the two water storage tanks on Sierra Madre Avenue, southwest of Valley Foods is slated to be torn down next week. While both tanks hold 500,000 gallons, the two water towers were built at different times using different construction methods. The older tank, built in 1979, is constructed of welded sections. The second tank was built in 2002 to supplement the town’s water storage needs. Constructed of bolted together sections, the 21-year-old tank has been leaking for years. Water is escaping through the seams between the bolted segments. In 2021, the town was ordered by the Environmental Protection Agency to tear the leaking tank down.
The town has set aside $55,000 for the demolition of the leaking water storage tank. Speaking at Tuesday’s town council meeting, Saratoga Mayor Chuck Davis said the tank is scheduled to come down next Wednesday, July 26th. Mayor Davis said residents should already see demolition equipment at the site.
During the May 16th council meeting, Councilman Jacob Fluty said the Impact Joint Powers Board selected Iseler Demolition for the job. Iseler Demolition specializes in decommissioning storage tanks.
The remaining money was used to hire Craig Kopasz of Engineering Associates to design the project.
The town council provided regular updates on the progress of the water tank project during their meetings. At the June 20th council meeting, Mayor Davis said after the tank is removed, the Impact Joint Powers Board will begin working on two projects, one of which is constructing a replacement water tank.
The replacement water storage tank will be built on the east side of the North Platte River.
