Centerville Tower Rehabilitation

Challenge

The water tower on Centerville Road is one of three water reservoirs in White Bear Lake, a city with a population of 25,000+ situated on the northeastern outskirts of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. Located in a highly developed area near Hwy. 96 and I-35E, the water tower provides these important functions:

• Storing and pressurizing drinking water for delivery to community taps
• Providing a high perch for telecommunication utilities
• Showing civic identity and pride in a most eye-catching way

The water tower was due for a regularly scheduled reconditioning to extend the life of this crucial infrastructure.

Solution

The City turned to SEH to perform the needed reconditioning work. This included scheduling the draining of the water tank; surface preparation and coatings specifications, administration and inspection both inside and outside; and coordination of structural appurtenances, telecommunications and containment.

The project also gave White Bear Lake a chance to show its civic pride high in the sky. The white bear peeking over the water line was the idea of a city council member who provided the initial design. The SEH team facilitated the design, working in partnership with the City and painting contractor.

The project also won an award: It was voted #6 in a field of 300+ water tanks in the nationwide Tank of the Year contest presented by epoxy manufacturer Tnemec.

Awards

• 2020 Tank of the Year | Runner up | Tnemec