New London, Minnesota, water tower to undergo rehabilitation project

Shelby Lindrud, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.
·2 min read

Feb. 15—NEW LONDON

— The New London water tower, overlooking the New London-Spicer High School, will be getting a fresh coat of paint — along with other needed upgrades and repairs — this summer.

The project was authorized at the Feb. 6

Kandiyohi County Board

meeting, allowing the project to be advertised for bids.

The tower, constructed in 2000, and operated by the Glacial Lakes Sanitary Sewer and Water District, provides drinking water to the city of New London.

"When the tower is full, it is 250,000 gallons of drinking water," for residents to use, said Corey Smith, director of the sewer and water district.

The project is estimated to cost $607,780. Unspent bond funds will pay for $445,642 of the project, while system reserves will cover the balance.

"Glacial Lakes is an enterprise fund, and this project is paid for by the users of the system," Smith said.

The project includes sandblasting and reconditioning of the tower's exterior and the interior wet portions.

"That is the inside of the water tower, on top, where the drinking water sits," Smith said.

The interior dry portion will undergo partial reconditioning and spot repairs.

Welds will be repaired, the tower will be recaulked and a mixer will be installed inside the tower. A mixer will help keep the water in good condition by keeping it well mixed; it will also help make sure there is water available even on the coldest of days.

"When it is winter out, we want to keep the water moving, rolling around so we don't get ice build-up or the tower freezes," Smith said.

The water tower exterior is also getting a new paint job. The tower will still proudly bear the town's name, but the bottom half will be a darker color once completed, to better hide the dirt that accumulates there over time.

The tower rehabilitation is scheduled to start May 25 and be substantially completed by Aug. 25. During the work, the tower will need to be emptied and shut down. Glacial Lakes Sanitary Sewer and Water District will keep the faucets and showers running with its high-service pump system.

Those who live close to the tower actually won't get to see a lot of the work. The tower will be hidden beneath a huge curtain to keep the debris and dust from the sandblasting from covering nearby homes and businesses.