Buhl Council authorizes design work for 200,000-gallon water tower after debate

The Buhl City Council on Nov. 25 authorized city engineering staff to prepare designs and bid solicitations for a new 200,000-gallon four-legged elevated water storage tank, a move supporters said would address long-term storage and fire-protection capacity while opponents raised cost and winter-freezing concerns.

Councilor Kealy moved to authorize the City Engineer to undertake design initiatives and prepare specifications and bid solicitations for the new tank, with other design alternatives allowed; Councilor Towner supported the motion. The motion carried 4–1, with Councilor Hadrava recorded as opposed. The motion included direction that lighting considerations be evaluated in the bid solicitations.

Why it matters: Council members and two residents who spoke during public comment described water storage capacity and tank condition as central to future development, fire protection and insurance rates. Resident Mike Lopac said prospective developers “first thing” would be to conduct a water capacity test to determine fire-protection needs and insurance implications, and warned that insufficient infrastructure could deter building or ownership interest. Resident Ted Kivi urged caution about the existing tower’s structural features, saying the AMI report contained errors and that the tower’s X-bracing and ongoing metal fatigue could increase the risk of failure: “the steel won’t get any better with time, it will only get worse,” he said, asking what would happen if a leg failed.

Council discussion focused on tradeoffs. Kealy noted industry advice that a 200,000-gallon tank could present winter freezing risks even with aeration or bubblers and suggested treating a larger tank like a smaller one until population growth justifies full capacity. The City Engineer said pump and refill-rate capabilities are standard components of an equipment-package evaluation. Council members also discussed a potential intergovernmental partnership with the City of Kinney to share treatment or storage capacity rather than each city building separate treatment plants.

What happens next: The City Engineer will prepare designs and bid documents and solicit construction quotes. The council did not set a final construction contract or appropriation at the meeting; the vote authorized the procurement steps needed to obtain cost estimates and bids. No additional public-input sessions on the water tower are scheduled, according to city materials presented at the meeting.

The council’s decision was described by Mayor Brandin Carter as difficult; Councilor Hadrava opposed the motion, while Councilors Kealy and Loeffler and Councilor Towner supported it.