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- Idaho Falls will begin demolition of its historic 1937 water tower on Jan. 5.
- The new tower, operational since October, doubles storage to 1 million gallons.
- Traffic disruptions are expected during the demolition, which will take 45 days.
IDAHO FALLS – Built in 1937, Idaho Falls's old water tower is scheduled to begin its demolition on Jan. 5, marking the end of almost 90 years of service.
According to a news release from the city of Idaho Falls, demolition is scheduled to begin on Jan. 5, with crews setting up the site and installing a crane to assist with the tower's teardown.
The start of the tower's removal is expected to begin in earnest on Jan. 9 and is scheduled to be completed by February.
Portions of the tower have been selected for preservation, but most of its materials are slated for recycling.
The release states that distributing individual pieces of the tower is not possible due to safety and logistical constraints. EastIdahoNews.com previously reported that the tower used lead-based paint, which poses a safety issue.
On Dec. 11, the city approved a $629,085 contract with Ascendent LLC to demolish the tower. According to the contract, the work is scheduled to be completed within 45 days.
Traffic will experience minor interruptions due to flagging operations on Capital Avenue as equipment is delivered to the project site.
City spokeswoman Kimberly Felker told EastIdahoNews.com that the new water tower was turned on Tuesday, and the old one was deactivated.
Construction of the new water tower began in May 2024. The tower reached a major milestone when its bowl was affixed to the top in April, and construction was completed in October.
The new tower is a significant increase improvement over the old tower, storing 1 million gallons of water, doubling city storage and improving the city's water infrastructure.
"This project is an important investment in the reliability and resiliency of Idaho Falls' water system," said Chris Fredericksen, Idaho Falls public works director. "By replacing the 89-year-old tower, we are ensuring safe, reliable water service for our community for generations to come."
