By Jennifer Nations, Water Resource Coordinator
If you drive down State Highway 6 south of Rock Prairie Road, you may be intrigued by the tall red and white pole south of the Baylor Scott & White Hospital.
No, it isn’t a lighthouse, and we’re not expecting a flood —although that wouldn’t surprise anyone in 2020. It’s not a giant candy cane or a stray element of Christmas in the Park, either.
The giant candy cane is supporting the crane being used to construct College Station’s third water tower, which will provide water pressure, storage, and fire protection to the city’s east side. The 190-foot tall structure will store three million gallons — 12.5 million tons — of water in its bowl.
The crane support is red and white for FAA purposes, but the “candy cane” will be removed when construction is finished in the spring of 2022.
If you’re curious about how water towers work, here’s a brief explanation:
About the Blogger
Jennifer Nations has been the City of College Station’s water resource coordinator since 1999 after serving two years as BVSWMA’s environmental compliance officer. She’s also chair of the Water Conservation and Reuse Division for the Texas Section of the American Water Works Association. A native of Fremont, Calif., Jennifer earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental & resource science from UC-Davis in 1995 and a master’s degree in water management & hydrologic science from Texas A&M in 2016.
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