CU board picks site for $3.25M water tower

Last edited 2:03 p.m., Jan. 6, 2011

The Board of Public Utilities, the 11-member governing body of City Utilities, yesterday voted to purchase land in southeast Springfield, where CU plans to build a $3.25 million water tower. Six members voted for the initiative, four voted against and one member abstained.

CU spokesman Mark Viguet said the two-acre tract near U.S. Highway 60 and Farm Road 189, just east of the Highway 65 and Highway 60 interchange, is owned by Howard Bailey of Rogersville-based contractor Bailey Co. Viguet said the board approved $264,000 to be spent on the land, which is included within the $3.25 million budget.

Bailey could not be reached for comment.

CU plans to begin construction on the water tower in the summer, with a two-year completion timeline, according to a news release.

The release said the board selected that area of town based on three factors:

• construction would provide a low impact to nearby neighborhoods;
• the tower, which would be roughly 137 feet tall, represented the lowest tank height and visual impact to the surrounding community; and
• the site presented CU with the lowest overall project cost estimate.

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