11-Million-Gallon Tank Receives Coating

Utility Service Co. recently completed blasting and recoating the inside of the largest water storage tank in St. Louis County.

The 11 million gallon water storage tank, which stands 33 feet tall and measures 240 feet in diameter, serves Missouri American Water customers in 15 cities, including Overland, Creve Coeur, Ladue, Clayton, and Kirkwood. When built in 1961, it was the second largest water storage tank in the nation.

This water storage tank, which is located on Old Olive Street Road in Creve Coeur, MO, is one of the 34 water storage tanks in Missouri American Water's St. Louis County system. Water storage tanks help maintain consistent throughout the 4,200 miles of water mains in the system and help the company manage peaks in water use. The water company fills the tanks at night when the cost to pump water is low, and then drain them down during the day when water use is high. The peak time for water use is early morning, when people take showers and turn on lawn sprinklers, said Brian Eisenloeffel, operations manager for Missouri American Water. On the average day, St. Louis County uses 180 million gallons of water, he said.

Utility Service Co. also pressure washed the exterior of the tank and applied a new protective coating to it.

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