Vote on new location for Idaho Falls water tower scheduled Thursday
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IDAHO FALLS — A new location for an incoming replacement water tower will be discussed at an Idaho Falls city council meeting Thursday night.
In 2020, the city council voted to replace the current aging water tower with a new one at South Capital Park along the Snake River. This year, signs popped up across the city opposing the location.
The water department has determined it is feasible for the city to build the new water tower in a corner of the Idaho Falls Public Library parking lot. The city council is expected to vote on moving the location during Thursday’s meeting.
On Nov. 3, the Idaho Falls Public Library Board of Trustees voted unanimously to support the city in constructing the water tower in a portion of its parking lot. Idaho Falls Public Works Director Chris Frederickson explained at a Monday city council work session that the impact on the stalls in the library parking lot would be minimal.
“The results of all of our evaluations at this point have determined that relocating the elevated (water) tower from the park to the library south parking lot is a viable sitting solution,” Frederickson said.
Frederickson said the new site holds $100,000 in potential savings in water line cost compared to building the tower at South Capital Park.
Crews constructed the original iconic tower in 1937. The city has been considering tearing down the original tower since 2015 when the city’s growth began to increase demand beyond the water tower’s capacity. The new water tower needs to be located near to the old one as it sits on the well that supplies water to the city.
You can watch Thursday’s city council meeting here or attend in person at the Idaho Falls City Annex building at 7:30 p.m.