Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Boca to demolish last two water storage towers
Boca Raton is getting rid of its only two water storage towers, marking the end of an obsolete technology for the city.
The city is scrapping its northern water tower, which butts against the corner of Northeast 42nd Street and Dixie Highway, as well as another water tower on Dixie near Southeast 14th Street.
Elevated water storage towers are used to provide natural pressure to a water system by using gravity.
But both of the 500,000 million gallon tanks being demolished have been unused for years as the city’s utilities department began using newer pumps to pull water from wells.
Boca city staff will survey the two sites Tuesday and could begin tearing down the nearly 130-foot structures the following week, the city’s communication manager, Chrissy Gibson, said.
The towers are surrounded by barbed wire fences, but Gibson
said they still pose liability issues for the city because of their height and the potential of people trying to climb them.
Having a tall landmark nearby had helped resident Robert Kurtz whenever he had visitors from out of town.
“If I were trying to give directions to people coming from anywhere, the water tower would be a landmark where you turn,” Kurtz said.
He has lived in the neighborhood for nearly 25 years and has always been able to see the north tower from his front door. He said he had heard from a neighbor that the structure was coming down.
“I thought it was still part of the water system,” Kurtz said. “I always told people, ‘I have great water pressure.’ But that probably has nothing to do with it.”
But the rest of the neighbors should get formal notice soon, said Sam Dorris, vice president of field operations for Allstate Tower Inc., which specializes in manufacturing, installing and servicing utility and communications towers.
Last summer, Boca officials set aside $154,000 for a deal with the Kentucky-based company for the project.
“We’ll get the job set up and have our guys pre-cut the tank, which goes to a metal recycling facility,” Dorris said. “It’s going to take about three weeks for the project for each tank.”
After cutting the tanks atop the towers, Dorris said, workers will take down the structures in segments beginning with the south tower. Crews will work on one tower at a time.
Since the north tower is closer to the street and in a residential area, Dorris said there likely will be closures on some of Dixie Highway’s lanes.
Gibson said city officials have not decided on plans for use of the remaining plots or if they will be sold, but Kurtz said he hopes it is something that will fit in with his neighborhood since it is already surrounded by commercial property.
“Just keep it residential,” Kurtz said. “It may not be such a great space for a business venture, but maybe a small office space that wouldn’t be too intrusive.”
Even though Allstate Tower Inc. helps remove water towers, there also is a demand for the elevated tanks in many other places, Dorris said. Since Allstate also fabricates water towers, Dorris said he hasn’t seen any decline in that side of their business.
Across South Florida, they’re still a common sight: Water towers remain in Lake Worth, Deerfield Beach, Hollywood and Hallandale Beach, among other locations.