Did you ever wonder how the water tower on the north side of town
works?
Sure, we all know it holds water, but what about the details? Well,
here's some information to quench your thirst for knowledge.
The amount of water used by people varies throughout the day, with the highest demand occurring during the morning hours. Pumps on each of four wells located around the village supply this water. Since the demand for water can sometimes exceed the capacity of the pumps, if the village did not have a water tower, the water pressure would drop noticeably. Things like washing machines, dishwashers, and showerheads need at least 20 to 30 PSI (pounds per square inch) of water pressure to function properly.
Aramada's water tower holds 200,000 gallons of water, is 132 feet tall, and sits about 17 feet above the highest land in the rest of the village. It . Each foot of height yields 0.43 PSI of water pressure.Since the water level in the tank varies as water is used by the community and replaced by the pumps, the pressure likewise varies between 60 and 65 PSI.
The water in the tower's tank is used to supply the village's needs, while the well pumps are used to fill the tank and sometimes help supply water directly during peak demand periods. By using a tank instead of using the pumps alone, lower capacity pumps may be used to refill the tank during off-peak periods, such as during the evening hours. If the pumps were sized so that they could keep up with peak demands on their own, they would have to be much higher in capacity and thus more expensive. They would also spend most of the off-peak time turning on and off as people needed water. This would lead to extra mechanical wear and tear on the pumps.
Armada's new water tower, located on the north end of town, was built in 1995, to replace the over-100-year-old tank that used to be located on the corner of Depot and Floral streets. The original tank had become quite troublesome to maintain, and toward the end of its service, frequently sprung leaks in winter, which occasionally created icicles over forty feet long.
Special thanks go out to Dave Wagner of the Armada Department of Public Works for his assistance with the specifications of the water tower.