RED LAKE FALLS, Minn. — In a few weeks’ time, Red Lake Falls can look forward to an upgraded water tower and the lifting of a water use restriction.
The upgrade won’t just enhance the tower’s technical qualities, but its appearance as well. Thankfully, there hasn’t been an issue with water use so far while the project’s been going on, said Kathy Schmitz, city administrator.
“We haven’t had any issues with our water usage,” Schmitz said. “No one’s noticed any change.”
Red Lake Falls’ water tower has been undergoing a rehab project since Aug. 2, and is expected to be finished by Oct. 8. The project is meant to keep the water tower within OSHA standard upgrades, as well as perform welding spot repairs, sandblasting and repainting of the interior and exterior. While the 500,000-gallon capacity tower is being worked on, water has been provided to the city through two 10,000-gallon pressure tanks, Schmitz said.
As the water tower project goes on, residents have been under restrictive water use. The declaration, announced in bold red letters on Red Lake Falls’ website, says, “please conserve household water usage during peak times. Limit the times and hours during which city water may be used for non-essential use such as watering lawns, gardens, irrigation, car washing, pressure washers, filling pools, or use of any outdoor water-based play apparatus.”
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Schmitz said so far everyone has respected the restriction, as there’s been no trouble thus far with providing water to the city.
The project has been going well, besides some trouble working on the outside due to windy weather, though Schmitz said that shouldn’t push back the finishing date of the project. The workers have most recently started sandblasting and preparing to start the primer coat, Schmitz said.
“It’s going good,” she said.
The vision for the finished water tower will have its base be a strong, river blue. A black silhouette of a forest treeline will cut off the river. The top of the tower will be a blank white, providing contrast to the stylized black lettering that will spell out the city’s name. It will be a stark contrast from the previous appearance of the tower, which was plain white with large black lettering, spelling out “RED LAKE FALLS, HOME OF THE EAGLES.”
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