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Work will soon resume on the new water tower in downtown Albert Lea at the corner of Fountain Street and Newton Avenue.

Along with some construction noise and dust, the public can expect occasional closings of Newton Avenue from Clark to Fountain Street, according to a press release from the city. The goal is to keep Newton Avenue open until the project is complete in mid-July, weather permitting.

The next phase will be sandblasting and painting the tower with three coats on the interior and four coats on the exterior. Disinfection and testing will be the final phase before it goes into operation.

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 1/2 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.

For more information:

• Watch the video recording of a presentation on the water tower on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZOYUnBWalM.
• Visit the city’s website: https://cityofalbertlea.org/new-water-tower/.