The Auburn Water Works Board has begun demolition of two water towers that are no longer useful to the water system, according to the city of Auburn.
Demolition of the tank located on Armstrong Street, built in the 1930s, and the tank located on East University Drive, built in the 1970s, is scheduled to be complete by December.
"Both tanks have been out of service for a number of years and aren't needed in the current water system," said public affairs director David Dorton. "The cost of rehabilitation would exceed the cost of replacement."
The East University Drive water tank has been out of service for four years because of byproduct accumulation, according to Eric Carson, director of the Water Resource Management Department.
When the 2-million-gallon water tank was in service, the water wasn't being used and replaced fast enough to avoid high concentrations and buildup of byproducts by Environmental Protection Agency regulation.
"Back when that tank was built in the 1970s, byproducts were not a big issue or something that they (the EPA) really regulated," Carson said. "Today, it's a big deal, and that tank is just not suitable for today's regulations."
The tank on Armstrong Street has been rehabilitated in the past to ensure water quality.
Over the years, however, the metal of the tank has thinned because of the different rehabilitation techniques.
According to Carson, the cost for rehabilitation did not match the benefits,
The Water Board made the decision to remove the two water tanks after years of studying the impact of removal through a water quality model.
Another factor taken into consideration was the aesthetic value of the historic water tanks, especially the tank on Armstrong.
Since the days Auburn University was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, the Armstrong water tank could be seen overlooking Pine Hill Cemetery.
The city's name has since been put on the tank in capital orange and blue block letters that stand taller than most buildings in the city.
"It does have some nostalgic value there," Carson said. "But it's just one of those things that is a liability. You just can't leave it up there. You've got to keep water in it or else if a storm comes through and hits the tank, it could actually be blown over if it isn't full."
Neither the board nor the city has heard complaints about taking down the water tanks.
"It was a tough decision because I'm a history buff," Carson said. "I love that stuff and it means a lot to me. We did not take this decision lightly."
Auburn currently has enough water tanks to satisfy demand, and the removal of the tanks will not require Auburn to become more dependent on Opelika for their water needs, according to Carson.
"The main thing is we are trying to improve water quality in the system, and we are trying to manage the board's assets wisely," Carson said. "We are looking out for the best interests of our customers."
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