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Oro Valley plans temporary 50,000‑gallon bolted tank while Water Plant 14 is rehabilitated
Summary
Oro Valley water staff told commissioners they will site a pre‑purchased bolted (disassemblable) 50,000‑gallon temporary tank at Water Plant 14 this spring so crews can rehabilitate an 800,000‑gallon reservoir; staff said contractors will assemble the tank after March delivery and operations testing will run for weeks before the larger reservoir is taken offline.
Oro Valley water utility staff told the Water Utility Commission that a pre‑purchased bolted (disassemblable) temporary tank will be used at Water Plant 14 while the town renovates an aging 800,000‑gallon reservoir.
The utility plans to install a tank with a working capacity of 50,000 gallons (the vendor capacity is 60,000 gallons with about two feet of freeboard). Staff said the bolted tank can be disassembled and moved to other sites so the town can recover the purchase cost after several relocations. Contractors were said to be on board to assemble the tank; staff scheduled delivery in mid‑to‑late March and expected operations telemetry and a period of remote testing to begin in May or June before taking the larger reservoir out of service for interior and exterior rehabilitation.
The temporary tank is intended to maintain daily demand and provide required fire flows while crews sandblast, inspect and recoat the existing reservoir. "We will operate the temporary tank for a few weeks to make sure everything works before we take the big reservoir out," said the presenter responsible for the capital project presentation. Operations staff emphasized that the smaller tank will require active management and multiple turn‑overs per day to meet demand at that site.
Commissioners asked about neighbor impacts and aesthetic concerns. Staff said they have notified the homeowner most affected by the site and communicated with the HOA; they described options to minimize visual impact, including matching the temporary tank color to the existing tank color where feasible. "We're working with the neighbors and the HOA to let them know the plan and timing," staff said, adding that the town will prepare the next site before relocating the tank so it will not be stored idle.
Staff also cited inspection guidance and routine maintenance practices: American Water Works Association recommendations for inspection and a staged approach to rehabilitation. They said the bolted tank was chosen over trailer‑mounted frac tanks because it can be disassembled and reused at multiple sites without requiring lengthy outages during higher‑demand months.
The commission heard that procurement and site preparation work will occur this fiscal year and that the rehabilitation schedule was extended across two fiscal years to allow safe installation, testing and operation of the temporary tank before long‑duration work on the permanent reservoir.
Next steps: staff will finalize delivery and contractor schedules, continue neighbor outreach, and report back to the commission as the tank is assembled and telemetry testing begins.
