June 8, 2010

The Water District's new two million gallon ground storage tank located northwest of Portland has been filled with water, tested and accepted as complete. The tank is approximately 110 feet in diameter and the white doomed roof -- more than 35 feet tall -- can easily be seen across the cropland by motorists on US 181.

James Schwarz, consulting engineer for the project, told the District Board of Directors that the wire wound, prestressed concrete tank was completed on time and in budget.

A new pump station will be built next to the tank under a separate contract. Once addiional distribution lines are installed the tank and pump station will supply treated water to Portland, Taft, Odem, Rincon Water Supply Corp. and Seaboard Water Supply Corp.

Preload Inc. of Hauppauge, New York, built the tank after submitting the low bid of $1,034,000 in November, 2009. Preload has been in the tank construction business for eight decades and in 1979 build a three million gallon concrete ground storage tank that remains in service at the District's treatment complex located between Ingleside and Gregory.