Watsonville’s newest water infrastructure project is a giant storage tank—a behemoth that stands 35 feet tall, holds 2 million gallons and is expected to help the city maintain its supply during droughts and disasters, when demand is at its peak.
A group of city officials gathered Monday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking completion of the Zone 2 Reservoir project at 51 Burchell Ave. The tank took six years to build.
Watsonville Mayor Kristal Salcido said the project underscores the importance of the city’s behind-the-scenes public works systems.
“Sometimes I think that infrastructure doesn’t really get the attention it should in our community. And something like drinking water — let me tell you — if your constituents go to turn on the tap and it doesn’t work, they will notice real fast,” she said. “These are the basic services. These are the foundational services that our community expects every single day.”
The $10 million project was funded in part by a $4.85 million grant from the California Department of Water Resources. The rest came from the city’s Water Enterprise Fund.
Watsonville Water Division Manager Beau Kayser said the tank will help the city continue providing water during disasters such as earthquakes and fires, when wells can be damaged and demand is high.
“It increases our operational flexibility, it increases the resiliency of our water system and it also reduces vulnerability,” he said. “When seconds matter to us, this is our insurance package.”
Kayser said the Watsonville Municipal Airport played a vital role by allowing the project to be built on its property, adding it to the airport layout plan and assisting with permitting.
“Ultimately, they determined that this project could coexist with airport operations,” he said. “So we were very grateful to their staff for working alongside us.”
The new tank sits on the same site as an existing 40-year-old tank that also serves Zone 2.
“These are generational projects,” Kayser said. “They take a lot of effort. They support and sustain our water system. They don’t happen often, and when they do, we expect them to last. Our water team will ensure that they will be here for decades to come.”
