The Eugene Water & Electric Board's 1940’s era water tank on College Hill was removed last year. Now, crews are starting to assemble two new, seismically safe 7.5 million gallon tanks.
Laura Farthing, a principal engineer for EWEB, said contractors are pouring the floor slabs for the tanks in quadrants.
“Simultaneously," she said, "we’re working on installing the piping that brings the water into the tank and also has a drain line that takes it away. So to do that, we’re building a 72-inch tunnel that will extend from our site down to the intersection of Lincoln and 23rd.”
Farthing said because of that work, nearby streets will be closed until the end of November.
She said for most of the next year, there will be nearly daily concrete pours, as crews build up the walls and columns of the structures.
Regarding the previous reservoir project at E. 40th Street in South Eugene, Farthing said EWEB has finished connecting all the pipes from the new tanks to the existing system. She said the city is preparing to repave Hilyard Street near Tugman Park where the road was impacted from the project.
