Tisbury adds second water tank in $1.2 million project

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A large Baxter crane lifted a 17,500 pound circular catwalk onto the new Tisbury water tank. The new tank will hold 350,000 gallons. — Photo by Michelle Gross

It was quite a sight Wednesday. A large crane lifted a round, 17,500 pound circular catwalk and placed it on a new Tisbury water tank, adjacent to the existing tank located to the Park and Ride lot off Highpoint Lane.

“This is the first time we’re going to have two tanks,” water department superintendent Paul Wohler told The Times. “We need it for redundancy, not for primary fire protection.”

The new tank will hold 350,000 gallons of water, less than the primary tank, Mr. Wohler said, but it is nevertheless large enough to service all of Tisbury. “The town needs to have more than one tank,” he said. “We’ll have a tank in service when the other tank gets painted and cleaned next spring.”

The existing tank, which holds 1.2 million gallons of water, will be repainted navy blue.

The $1.2 million project has been in the works since voters agreed to add the second tank in 2012. “It’s been moving really fast,” said Charlie Gage of Statewide Aqua Store Inc., the Syracuse based contractor handling the project.

“It’ll be full of water, probably early to mid-September,” Mr. Wohler said.