Construction of a 3.5 million gallon water reservoir in Redmond will help provide a bit of cushion during the peak irrigation months next summer.

Skaar Construction Inc. broke ground on the $5.2 million project in May, and the construction is on schedule, said City Engineer Mike Caccavano.

“They were pushing hard to get all the tank part done before winter, but it might be getting a little late in the season,” Caccavano said. “We had hoped to get it in service last summer. There were no real problems; it just would be nice to have that cushion when we have the peak summer days. It was a long, dry hot summer, so irrigation demands were up.”

The reservoir on NE 11th Street will feature an 11,310-square-foot concrete tank and the efficiency of the current pump system will be improved.

The well that is there has been pumping water directly from the ground into the city’s water system rather than into a tank or reservoir.

“That’s not what it’s designed to do, so it’s not as efficient,” Caccavano explained.

The water supply and system are not posing obstacles in water delivery to residential areas, but the challenges arise in industrial areas in south Redmond with the water flow for fire usage, he added.

“We’re not in desperate need right now, but we are trying to keep ahead of the demand,” Caccavano said. “We have got some challenges, but we can deliver the daily needs. It’s the fire flows that we would like to improve. Lot of houses going in, and it was just time to add more storage.”

The 3.5 million-gallon reservoir is 44 feet tall and the option to construct a concrete tank instead of a steel tank will save the city a lot of money in the long run, Caccavano said.

The life-cycle test showed the cost of coating a steel tank as more expensive than the initial cost of constructing a concrete tank.

“Steel is typically less expensive, but you have to recoat those tanks over time,” he said. “Maintenance cost will be low. It’s impressive; these things last forever.”

Construction for the water reservoir project will cost $5,178,000 and is part of the city’s master plan that constantly goes through updates and improvements over the years, said City Manager Keith Witcosky.

City staff is constantly looking at the schedule for wells for supply, reservoirs for storage, pump stations to get the flow of water and waterline replacements.

Projects include the replacement of older steel waterlines that will help manage the city’s water conservation, said Bill Duerden, director of public works.

— Reporter: 541-617-7829, acolosky@bendbulletin.com