City Commissioners approved final payment for the 33rd Street Tank project in August.

The final project cost was $2,795,319.05, which is $145,000 less than the total contract amount.

The lower cost was attributed to better than expected existing conditions of the tank so fewer structural repairs were needed.

The final payment was $139,765.95, of which $138,368.29 was paid to DN Tanks and $1,397.66 to the State Miscellaneous Tax Fund.

City rehabilitating 33rd Street water tank [2024]

City staff verified that DN Tanks has completed all work and punch list items in accordance with the plans and the contract and the two-year warranty period started at the time of substantial completion, which was June 17.

The project was paid through the water enterprise fund, which is funded by water utility fees.

In April, commissioners approved the $2.9 million rehabilitation project.

In October, the city drained the tank to allow for the interior work.

City approves $2.9 million contract for water tower rehabilitation [2024]

The 33rd Street water storage tank was constructed in the mid 1940’s and this type of water storage tank typically has a useable life of approximately 100 years, according to city staff.

It is one of two water tanks on the main zone that serves two-thirds of the city.

City planning 33rd Street water tower rehabilitation [2024]

The 33rd Street tank stores about 4.75 million gallons of water, which is 50 percent of the city’s total water storage capacity, according to city staff, and is one of two water tanks on the main zone that serve the majority of the city, from the Civic Center to Malmstrom Air Force Base, south of the Missouri River.

During the annual inspection, the dive crew noted cracking on the inner wall and excessive water leaking out of the tank.

Jason Fladland, former city water plant branch manager, told commissioners during the April 2, 2024 work session that they’d had problems with this tank for years.

City staff estimated the amount of water leaking out of the tank to be about 50 gallons per minute, or 26 million gallons per year.

Chris Gaub, city public works director, told commissioners during their April 16, 2024 meeting that the city is short about 10 million gallons, so if they were to build a new 20 million gallon tank, it would cost an estimated $22 million.

He said that repairing the 33rd Street tank and later builds a 10 million gallon tank, it would save about $9 million.

City approves contract for water tower rehabilitation [2023]

Gaub said DN Tanks is the same company that built the tank in the 1940s, but operating under a different name now.

The city retained Burns and McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc. to complete an evaluation of the tank.

The new tank was rehabilitated and lined, with a two-year warranty, to extend the tank’s lifespan by 10-20 years, as well as decrease the water lost through leaks, according to staff.

In October 2023, commissioners awarded a $366,365 contract to Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services, or AE2S, for design and inspection services for the 33rd Street water storage tank rehabilitation.

Fladland said that staff did a trial run in the spring and operated the city water system without the 33rd Street tank. He said no one noticed the difference as they were able to use other tanks for water storage.

City considering utility, sanitation rate increases

The extended lifespan gives the city time to develop “the most effective and efficient long-term (100-year) strategy on water storage infrastructure,” according to staff.

Gore Hill water tower finished under budget; city issuing final payment [2020]

Fladland said in April that he estimated it will take about 12 weeks to repair the 33rd Street tank.

Construction took about a month longer due to a slower than anticipated refilling rate, according to staff.

The city received one bid for the project but “there are only a handful of companies that are qualified to do this type of work throughout the country,” according to staff.

DN Tanks, the original designer of the tank, submitted a bid of $2,941,050, which was within six percent of the engineer’s estimate.