Water District Looks Ahead With New Tower, Central Headquarters and Long Term Planning
For most residents, a good water system is one they rarely have to think about.
Turn on the faucet, and the water is there. Firefighters open a hydrant, and they have the supply they need. A water main breaks, and crews respond quickly enough that many customers may never realize there was a problem.
Public Water Supply District No. 1 of Jefferson County is working to keep it that way, with a series of projects aimed at increasing water storage, strengthening emergency preparedness, and bringing district operations together in a more efficient central location.
For DeVore, that planning is personal as well as professional.
“I grew up in Arnold. I am from the area. My family all lives in Arnold,” DeVore said. She added that she feels fortunate to work with a board that shares that commitment to the community.
Planning for the Unexpected
One of the largest pieces of that effort will be a second water tower.
The district recently purchased property along the southbound lanes of Interstate 55 at Richardson Road, directly behind the Circle K and McDonald’s, for the future tower. The new aerial tank is expected to add up to 2 million gallons of water storage.
That additional capacity could make a significant difference during emergencies.
The district currently has approximately 2 million gallons of storage through its existing 1 million gallon water tower and two ground storage tanks. At the same time, DeVore said average daily water use is just under 2.5 million gallons, although demand fluctuates based on weather, industry, and other factors.
The goal is not simply to have enough water for an ordinary day. District leaders are planning for the unexpected, making sure the system is prepared to keep serving residents even when circumstances beyond their control disrupt normal operations.
Severe weather can affect power and communications, unexpected water main breaks can occur, and disruptions anywhere along the broader water supply system can create additional challenges. In an emergency, firefighters may also need to draw significant amounts of water from hydrants. Building additional storage gives the district greater flexibility to continue meeting those needs when unusual circumstances arise.
Board member Jason Fulbright said the district has discussed those worst case scenarios with local fire officials and wants enough storage and backup systems to continue serving residents when the community needs water most.
A Carefully Chosen Location
Location was critical to making the new tower work.
Water towers rely heavily on elevation and gravity to maintain pressure throughout a system. Fulbright said there were relatively few properties in the district that would work, and the site ultimately purchased was the district’s preferred location.
The property was purchased from Drury Development Corporation. State Rep. Phil Amato helped connect district officials with Drury, and both Fulbright and DeVore praised the company for its approach to the negotiations. The district’s official announcement said the purchase was unanimously approved by its Board of Directors.
DeVore said district officials initially wondered how difficult purchasing commercially owned property might be. Instead, she said the company recognized the community need and worked with the district rather than attempting to drive up the cost or prolong the process.
Fulbright described Drury as professional and community minded.
The cooperation helped the district secure what officials believe is the best available location for a major piece of infrastructure that could serve Arnold for generations.
Bringing Operations Together
The tower is only one part of the district’s plans.
Earlier this year, the district purchased property near its existing water tower, including the property at 2120 Michigan Avenue and the adjoining property at 2116 Michigan Avenue. The former auto building is intended to provide indoor storage for district vehicles, equipment, and supplies, with a new administrative building planned as part of the site’s eventual development.
The location will allow the district to gradually consolidate operations that are currently split between multiple sites.
Administrative offices are now located off Tenbrook Road near Schneider Drive, while field technicians, equipment, fuel pumps, and material storage are already based around the existing tower property. DeVore said bringing those functions together would improve communication and efficiency, while putting crews in a more central location for responding to water main breaks and other emergencies.
The existing building on the newly purchased property also gives the district something it has not previously had: a proper place to bring vehicles and equipment indoors.
As the district purchases newer equipment to help field crews do their jobs, DeVore said protecting that investment becomes increasingly important.
Eventually, the plan is to bring administrative staff, field technicians, equipment, materials, and other district operations together on one central campus.
The new headquarters is currently in the design phase, and DeVore said the district hopes construction could begin around March if the planning and approval process continues as anticipated.
Preparing for Modern Threats
Planning also includes threats residents may never see.
Fulbright told the Arnold City Council that the district has been working with the Department of Homeland Security and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to examine ways to strengthen and harden its systems against cyberattacks.
The new facility is being planned with those concerns, backup power, emergency operations, and modern technology in mind.
It fits with DeVore’s broader philosophy that infrastructure should be upgraded before problems force the district to react.
District leaders have also emphasized that the new tower and headquarters are part of the district’s existing capital improvement and financing plans and will not prompt a rate increase.
Fulbright told the council that the district has not increased its rates during the past decade except when increases from Missouri American Water, its wholesale supplier, required those costs to be passed through.
One Decision for Later
And then there is one decision that is still a very long way down the list.
What color will the new water tower be?
No color has been selected for the new tower.
In fact, Fulbright told the City Council that choosing a color is somewhere around “step three hundred,” while the district is currently closer to step three.
But for residents who still have strong feelings about the color, there appears to be plenty of time to make those preferences known before anyone starts ordering paint.
For now, district leaders say the focus is much more fundamental: making sure Arnold has enough water, protecting the infrastructure that delivers it, and planning today for emergencies and needs that could be decades away.