Work to resume on new water tower in Albert Lea

(ABC 6 News) – The City of Albert Lea said work will soon resume on the city’s new water tower.

The next phase of work on the water tower, located at the corner of Fountain Street and Newton Avenue, will be sandblasting and adding three coats of paint on the towers’ interior and four coats on the exterior. Disinfection and testing will be the final phase before the water tower goes into operation.

Along with construction noise and dust, the City says residents can expect occasional closings of Newton Avenue from Clark to Fountain Street.

The project is expected to be complete in mid-July, weather permitting.

The tower replaces one built in 1938 and will hold 1 million gallons of water. At 179.5 feet tall – 18 stories – it stands 44.5 feet higher than the original tower.

The Albert Lea City Council decided to build the new tower to meet federal requirements to maintain at least one day of water supply, which is 3.5 million gallons per day in Albert Lea, in case of disasters or other issues that disrupt the city’s water service. Maintaining a sufficient water supply and water pressure are also important for fire protection, insurance requirements and economic development.