January 16, 2024 |
Photo – Saratoga’s two water tanks before one was demolished – Bigfoot99 file photo
Saratoga is waiting for the state to determine where a new water tower will be built.
On July 26th of last year, the leaking water tower on the south side of Saratoga was torn down. The 21-year-old tank was constructed of bolted sections which did not create a watertight seal. In 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency ordered the town of Saratoga to demolish the leaking tower.
Once the water tower came down, the Impact Joint Powers Board began the process of having a replacement tower constructed.
At the January 2nd Saratoga town council meeting, Public Works Director Emery Penner said the Impact Joint Powers Board was preparing to submit an application to the Wyoming Water Development Commission for a new water storage unit. Penner said the state agency will construct the water tower and give it to the town.
Penner said the new tower was unlikely to be finished until 2026 at the earliest. Because water tanks can cost millions of dollars, Penner said it was in the town’s best interest to allow the Wyoming Water Development Commission to handle the project.
At the time the water tower was torn down, sources told Bigfoot99 that the replacement tank was likely to be built on the east side of the North Platte River. With WWDC’s involvement, the state agency will now determine the best location for the replacement water tank.
