Editing Water tower (section)

== Architecture ==
[[File:Rooftop water towers on New York apartment buildings.jpg|thumb|[[Rooftop water tower]]s on apartment buildings on [[East 57th Street]] in [[New York City]]]]

The adjacent image shows three architectural approaches to incorporating these tanks in the design of a building, one on East 57th Street in New York City. From left to right, a fully enclosed and ornately decorated brick structure, a simple unadorned roofless brick structure hiding most of the tank but revealing the top of the tank, and a simple utilitarian structure that makes no effort to hide the tanks or otherwise incorporate them into the design of the building.

The technology dates to at least the 19th century, and for a long time New York City required that all buildings higher than six stories be equipped with a rooftop water tower.<ref name="npr2006" /> Two companies in New York build water towers, both of which are [[family business]]es in operation since the 19th century.<ref name="npr2006">{{cite news|title=Wondering About Water Towers |first=Debbie |last=Elliott |work=[[All Things Considered]] |date=2 December 2006 |publisher=[[National Public Radio]] |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6567297}}</ref>

The original water tower builders were barrel makers who expanded their craft to meet a modern need as buildings in the city grew taller in height. Even today, no sealant is used to hold the water in. The wooden walls of the water tower are held together with steel cables or straps, but water leaks through the gaps when first filled. As the water saturates the wood, it swells, the gaps close and become impermeable.<ref name="Times article">{{cite news|title=Longtime Emblems of City Roofs, Still Going Strong|author=Charles, Jacoba|work=The New York Times|date=3 June 2007|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/03/nyregion/thecity/03wate.html?_r=1&ref=thecity&oref=login}}</ref> The rooftop water towers store {{convert|250000|to|500000|L|impgal USgal}} of water until it is needed in the building below. The upper portion of water is skimmed off the top for everyday use while the water in the bottom of the tower is held in reserve to fight fire. When the water drops below a certain level, a pressure switch, level switch or float valve will activate a pump or open a public water line to refill the water tower.<ref name="Times article" />

[[File:Roihuvuori water tower - Helsinki Finland.jpg|thumb|upright|The mushroom-shaped concrete water tower of [[Roihuvuori]] in [[Helsinki]], Finland was built in the 1970s. It is {{convert|52|m}} high and can hold around {{convert|12000|m3}} of water.]]

Architects and builders have taken varied approaches to incorporating water towers into the design of their buildings. On many large commercial buildings, water towers are completely hidden behind an extension of the facade of the building. For cosmetic reasons, apartment buildings often enclose their tanks in rooftop structures, either simple unadorned rooftop boxes, or ornately decorated structures intended to enhance the visual appeal of the building. Many buildings, however, leave their water towers in plain view atop utilitarian framework structures.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}

Water towers are common in [[India]], where the electricity supply is erratic in most places.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}

If the pumps fail (such as during a power outage), then water pressure will be lost, causing potential public health concerns. Many U.S. states require a "[[boil-water advisory]]" to be issued if water pressure drops below {{convert|20|psi}}.{{citation needed|date=September 2013}} This advisory presumes that the lower pressure might allow pathogens to enter the system.{{citation needed|date=November 2013}}

Some have been converted to serve modern purposes, as for example, the Wieża Ciśnień ([[Wrocław water tower]]) in [[Wrocław]], Poland which is today a restaurant complex. Others have been converted to residential use.<ref name="residential use">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/11/greathomesanddestinations/a-water-tower-near-brussels.html|title=A Water Tower Near Brussels|first=Nick|last=Amies|newspaper=The New York Times|date=10 August 2011|access-date=14 March 2018}}</ref>

Historically, railroads that used [[steam locomotive]]s required a means of replenishing the locomotive's tenders. Water towers were common along the railroad. The tenders were usually replenished by [[water crane]]s, which were fed by a water tower.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}

Some water towers are also used as observation towers, and some restaurants, such as the [[Goldbergturm]] in [[Sindelfingen]], Germany, or the second of the three [[Kuwait Towers]], in the State of [[Kuwait]]. It is also common to use water towers as the location of [[Transmission (telecommunications)|transmission]] mechanisms in the [[Ultra high frequency|UHF]] range with small power, for instance for closed rural broadcasting service, [[amateur radio]], or [[cellular telephone]] service.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}

In hilly regions, local topography can be substituted for structures to elevate the tanks. These tanks are often nothing more than concrete [[cistern]]s terraced into the sides of local hills or mountains, but function identically to the traditional water tower. The tops of these tanks can be landscaped or used as park space, if desired.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}

=== Spheres and spheroids ===
The [[Chicago Bridge and Iron Company]] has built many of the water spheres and spheroids found in the United States.<ref>{{cite web | title = Waterspheroid | publisher = CBI | url = http://www.cbi.com/images/uploads/2011%20Watershpheroid.pdf | access-date = 24 February 2012}}</ref> The website ''World's Tallest Water Sphere'' describes the distinction between a water sphere and water [[spheroid]] thus:
 
{{blockquote|A water sphere is a type of water tower that has a large sphere at the top of its post. The sphere looks like a golf ball sitting on a tee or a round lollipop. A cross section of a sphere in any direction (east-west, north-south, or top-bottom) is a perfect circle. A water spheroid looks like a water sphere, but the top is wider than it is tall. A spheroid looks like a round pillow that is somewhat flattened. A cross section of a spheroid in two directions (east-west or north-south) is an ellipse, but in only one direction (top-bottom) is it a perfect circle. Both spheres and spheroids are special-case ellipsoids: spheres have symmetry in 3 directions, spheroids have symmetry in 2 directions. Scalene ellipsoids have 3 unequal length axes and three unequal cross sections.<ref>{{cite web | title = Water Sphere versus Water Spheroid | publisher = World's Tallest Water Sphere | date = June 2009 | url = http://www.worldstallestwatersphere.com/?p=196 | website = The World's Tallest Water Sphere | access-date = 22 February 2012}}</ref>}}

The [[Union Watersphere]] is a water tower topped with a [[sphere|sphere-shaped]] [[water tank]] in [[Union Township, Union County, New Jersey|Union, New Jersey]],<ref>{{Citation | last = Westerggaard | first = Barbara | title = New Jersey A guide to the state | date = August 2005 | publisher = Rutgers University Press | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ww7BJbdR4lEC&pg=PA366 | isbn = 0-8135-3685-5 }}</ref> and characterized as the ''World's Tallest Water Sphere''.

A ''Star Ledger'' article<ref name="landmark">{{citation | last = Rose | first = Lisa | title = Despite challenge, Union Township water tower remains a Jersey landmark | newspaper = The Star-Ledger | date = 22 February 2012 | url = http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/02/despite_challenge_union_townsh.html | access-date = 21 February 2012 }}</ref> suggested a water tower in [[Erwin, North Carolina]] completed in early 2012, {{convert|219.75|ft|m|abbr=on}} tall and holding {{convert|500000|gal|m3}},<ref>{{cite web | last = Philliops | first = Gregor | title = Erwin's new water tower will be among tallest on East Coast | work = The Fayetteville Observer | date = 11 May 2011 | url = http://fayobserver.com/articles/2011/05/14/1093639 | access-date = 25 February 2012 | archive-date = 27 August 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110827115134/http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2011/05/14/1093639 | url-status = dead }}</ref> had become the World's Tallest Water Sphere. However, photographs of the Erwin water tower revealed the new tower to be a water spheroid.<ref>{{cite web|title=World's Tallest Water Sphere Title Safe for Now|url=http://www.worldstallestwatersphere.com/?p=373 |publisher= The World's Tallest Water Sphere|access-date=20 August 2012}}</ref>

The water tower in [[Braman, Oklahoma]], built by the [[Kaw Nation]] and completed in 2010, is {{convert|220.6|ft|m|abbr=on}} tall and can hold {{convert|350000|gal|m3}}.<ref>{{cite web | title = Water Tower – Braman, Oklahoma | website = Waymarking.com | url = http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMA1DP_Water_Tower_Braman_Oklahoma | access-date = 22 February 2012}}</ref> Slightly taller than the Union Watersphere, it is also a spheroid.<ref>{{cite web | title = World's Tallest Water Sphere? | website = The World's Tallest Water Sphere | date = 22 December 2010 | url = http://www.worldstallestwatersphere.com/?p=298 | access-date = 22 February 2012}}</ref>

Another tower in Oklahoma, built in 1986 and billed as the "largest water tower in the country", is {{convert|218|ft|m|abbr=on}} tall, can hold {{convert|500000|gal|m3}}, and is located in [[Edmond, Oklahoma|Edmond]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Edmond Huskies | website = Waymarking.com | url = http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM6E5 | access-date = 22 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Largest Water Tower | publisher = Center for Land Use Interpretation | url = http://ludb.clui.org/ex/i/OK3128/# | access-date = 22 February 2012}}</ref>

The ''Earthoid'', a perfectly spherical tank located in [[Germantown, Maryland]] is {{convert|100|ft|m|abbr=on}} tall and holds {{convert|2000000|gal|m3}} of water. The name is taken from it being painted to resemble a globe of the world.<ref>{{cite web | last = Gaines | first = Danielle | title = Germantown's Earthoid water tower could be up for a makeover WSSC to choose new painted design for tank next month | publisher = Gazette. Net | date = 2 March 2011 | url = http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/03022011/germnew185447_32533.php | access-date = 3 March 2012 | archive-date = 9 June 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130609024709/http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/03022011/germnew185447_32533.php | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = "Earthoid" Water Storage Tank – Germantown MD | website = Waymarking.com | date = 7 September 2009 | url = http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM7668 | access-date = 3 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Makeover The Earthoid gets a refresh | date = 16 March 2011 | publisher = Germantown Patch | url = http://germantown.patch.com/articles/makeover-the-earthoid-water-tower-gets-a-refresh | access-date = 3 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = A whole new world Earthoid water tank makeover update | date = 11 November 2011 | publisher = Germantown Patch | url = http://germantown.patch.com/articles/a-whole-new-world-earthoid-water-tank-makeover-update | access-date = 3 March 2012}}</ref>

The golf ball-shaped tank of the water tower at [[Gonzales, California]] is supported by three tubular legs and reaches about {{convert|125|ft|m|abbr=on}} high.<ref>{{cite web | title = Gonzales Round Municipal Tank | website = Waymarking.com | date = 22 April 2009 | url = http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM68BR_Gonzales_Round_Municipal_Tank_Gonzales_CA | access-date = 25 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Gonzales Water Tower | website = Waymarking.com | url = http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM14DF_Gonzales_Water_Tower | access-date = 25 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Gonzales Water Tower | publisher = Wikimapia | url = http://wikimapia.org/12760743/Gonzales-Water-Tower | access-date = 25 February 2012}}</ref>

The [[Eindhoven Water Towers|Watertoren (or Water Towers)]] in [[Eindhoven]], Netherlands contain three spherical tanks, each {{convert|10|m|ft|abbr=on}} in diameter and capable of holding {{convert|500|m3|gal}} of water, on three {{convert|43.45|m|ft|abbr=on}} spires were completed in 1970.<ref>{{cite web | title = Water Tower Eindhoven | url = http://www.architectureguide.nl/project/list_projects_of_typeofbuilding/typ_id/28/prj_id/810 | access-date = 24 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Water Tower | url = http://mimoa.eu/projects/Netherlands/Eindhoven/Watertower | access-date = 24 February 2012 | archive-date = 29 November 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111129092221/http://mimoa.eu/projects/Netherlands/Eindhoven/Watertower | url-status = dead }}</ref>

<gallery widths="150px" heights="200px">
File:Wasserturm Ehrang.jpg|Disused sphere-shaped railway water tower in [[Trier]], Germany
File:Pequot_Lakes_1.jpg|[[Paul Bunyan]]'s [[Fishing float|Bobber]] Water Tower in [[Pequot Lakes, Minnesota]]
File:East Bay Water Tower.jpg|[[East Bay Township, Michigan|East Bay Township]] Water Tower near [[Traverse City, Michigan]]
File:Waterbollen Eindhoven-02.jpg|[[Eindhoven]] Water Towers, Netherlands
File:Cocoa_water_tower_night.jpg|[[Oblate spheroid]] water tower in [[Cocoa, Florida|Cocoa]], [[Florida]]
</gallery>