A one million-gallon water tank will soon be under construction to serve residents and businesses in the growing northwest corner of Garfield Township.

The long-awaited tank will be built west of Harris Road along Cedar Run Road. The need for the new tank was outlined in a report almost a decade ago, but serious discussions began about three years ago, according to Township Supervisor Chuck Korn.

In most areas in the township, water pressure is maintained simply by gravity. But in some spots — including near West Senior High, Lone Tree subdivision and GreyHawk subdivision, where there has been much residential growth — pumps are used to keep pressure up. The new tank will provide a more reliable source of pressurized water, particularly for firefighting needs, and will eliminate the need for pumps in those areas.

“It’s been a multi-year planning process,” says Korn. “We worked with the DEQ [Department of Environmental Quality] along the way. You can’t put a pipe in the ground without their approval.”

The township board recently accepted a bid of $1 million from DN TANKS, a Massachusetts-based firm that designs and constructs tanks worldwide; a team of design engineers, project managers, construction field workers, and quality control engineers will work with local officials.

The township chose to build a concrete tank -- more expensive than metal -- because it will require less maintenance. Once the site is prepared, it should take six to eight weeks to complete. The board is still considering which of five architectural styles will be built.

“We expect to have it in place this summer,” Korn adds. “We’ve talked with homeowners and businesses in the area. Homeowners who are on wells will have the choice to tie in to the system.”

Funding for the new tank will come from one of the township’s enterprise funds specifically earmarked for water projects. Revenues in the fund come from water users in the township.

This will be the third water tank owned by Garfield Township. A 2.2-million-gallon tank sits on McRae Hill, while a 350,000-gallon tank is located at Birmley Estates. The township also partners with the City of Traverse City on a 4-million-gallon tank along LaFranier Road, just south of South Airport Road.

That large aging LaFranier structure will soon need repairs, according to Korn. “We’ll be working with the city on that tank,” he says. “It needs a new top and to be totally painted.”

Pictured: One style of tank under consideration is this one built in Pleasant Prairie, WI by DN TANKS.