DETROIT LAKES — The design for the new water tower was unveiled during the monthly Detroit Lakes City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 9. The tank will have the city’s name in three different locations, with a shoreline view below it. One side of the tower will also include a setting (or rising) sun and a sailboat.
When the new water tower in Detroit Lakes is built near the current tower’s location, there will also be a noticeable difference in appearance. Instead of the traditional round top most water towers have, the tank will be flat. It will stand at 127 feet and have a capacity of about 1.5 million gallons. The current water tower, built in the 1970s, has a height of about 100 feet and a water capacity of about 1 million gallons.
The cost of the new tower, including groundwork, construction, engineering and demolishing the current tower was projected to be about $8.3 million. Funding for the project is planned through the Public Facilities Authority, which offers low-interest loans to municipalities.
Detroit Lakes City Engineer Jon Pratt stated the project has been several years in the making.
“We're ready to go out for bids,” Pratt said, noting if the council approved, the hope would be to bring the bid for possible approval at the June meeting.
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Pratt noted that if plans followed the tentative schedule, the groundwork for the new tower could begin late this summer.
“These contractors aren't in abundance that put these tanks up, so it's pretty dependent on what their workload and schedule looks like,” Pratt said.
He added the project could be completed as early as the end of the construction season of 2025, but it was “more likely” the new tower would be online in the “first half of 2026.”
The City Council approved the plans for the new water tower and authorized advertising for bids.
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