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Watertowers? What do or did they do?
After a brief trip out west we got thinking about watertowers and I'm having a hard time finding any solid explanation for why they were built or if they are still used. Any ideas?
we're talking about the tall watertowers, with the city's name on them...are they still used in that capacity?
3 Answers
- Randy GLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
You mean the old ones beside the train tracks? To refill the steam locomotives.
Otherwise, water towers provide water pressure for the city water main by storing water "up hill" as it were.
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It is hard to maintain water pressure in an area that is mainly flat, unless you leave the water pump on all of the time (wastes energy). So they pump water up-hill into a tank on a tower, where it remains until needed. Gravity provides the water pressure.
- 1 decade ago
They are still used today to generate static water pressure for tap water in a local region. They may also serve as a reserve against supply interruptions. They can save money by letting a small efficient pump fill a tank during low use times but can release it quickly into the water system in high use times without loss of pressure at the tap.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
It is the town's water supply. It is kept up high to prevent contamination.
