Mount Prospect putting new life into an old reservoir

An old warhorse of Mount Prospect’s water infrastructure is taking a sabbatical, as crews carry out much needed repairs at the village’s potable water reservoir Booster Pumping Station 4.

The station at 117 N. Waverly Place, which has served the community for more than seven decades, blends into the residential neighborhood because it looks more like an old house than a water tank.

Now the village’s public works department is putting on its version of “This Old House.” The checklist includes cleaning the tank and removing debris, repairing cracks in the interior and exterior concrete, cleaning and coating exposed piping, tank disinfection and water sampling.

The reservoir, one of seven in the village, holds 810,000 gallons of water. The reservoirs serve a twofold purpose, village Public Works Director Sean Dorsey said.

“We boost with water from these tanks to meet peaks in demand,” he said. This supplements the constant supply of water the village receives from the Northwest Suburban Municipal Joint Action Water Agency.

“Plus they also serve as an ample reserve in case of a fire,” Dorsey added.

The village’s reservoirs are repaired on a regular cycle.

Age is just a number for this reservoir, which can last indefinitely, provided it continues to receive ongoing maintenance, officials said.

The work is expected to take two months. The reservoir has been drained and taken out of service.

The village contracted with Era-Valdivia Contractors, Inc. of Chicago to conduct the work, at a cost not to exceed $566,970.

“We have no plans to retire it or to replace it soon. There’s no need for that. It’s still functional, still useful,” Dorsey said.