Water towers are structures that hold water and maintain water pressure in municipal systems. They can deliver water during blackouts and pump failures. They also help avoid negative pressures and can save costs by delivering water during peak demand periods.
A water tower is a structure designed to hold a water tank and also to help maintain water pressure in a municipal water system. These structures have been used for centuries to hold water supplies, and are capable of delivering water even in the event of a blackout or pump failure, because they are elevated, which means the water will pressurize the pipes with the help of gravity. Many areas use water towers as water storage systems to ensure citizens have access to running water, and most small towns can store up to a day’s worth of water this way.
For every foot (0.3 meter) above the ground, a water tower is able to generate more pressure. Typically, one is installed on elevated ground and the tower tank is elevated to increase potential pressure. In a small town, a single tower can pressurize enough water to supply the entire town. In large cities, tall private buildings sometimes use them to supply their tenants, since the city’s water system isn’t pressurized enough to get water to the upper floors during peak demand times. When used in conjunction with a municipal water system, the pressurization capacity of this facility serves two primary functions.
The first function is to maintain a constant pressure in the system and avoid negative pressures, which can suck groundwater or other sources of pollution into the water network, contaminating the city’s water. A city with a water tower, however, can rest assured that the water lines will always be fully pressurized, keeping the water potable. For this reason, in some areas it is necessary to connect a tower to the municipal aqueduct.
The second function is cheaper. A water tower can deliver water during peak demand periods with relative ease, while a pump can struggle. By using a pump and tower, a city can save costs by pumping for average demand. When water demands exceed the pump’s capabilities, the tower kicks in to deliver more water. When the pump delivers more water than the city needs, as it often does at night, the excess fills the storage tank so it’s ready for the next peak demand period.
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