Eagle River Water Tower

Challenge

The City of Eagle River, Wisconsin, depends on a single elevated water tower to ensure reliable drinking water and maintain fire protection capacity. Built in 1991, the tower was beginning to show signs of corrosion, making rehabilitation of its protective coatings a pressing need. For a small community with a limited utilities budget, the City had to find a way to complete the work without creating financial strain.

Adding a layer of technical complexity, telecommunications equipment mounted on the tower required precise coordination for removal, upgrades, and reinstallation to maintain uninterrupted service.

To address these challenges, Eagle River needed to move forward with a plan that would simplify decision-making, manage risk, keep services running, and deliver lasting value.

Solution

SEH partnered with the City through a long-term maintenance contract approach that would meet urgent rehabilitation needs and strengthen the tower’s long-term performance. A cost-effective coatings rehabilitation restored the tower’s protective system, reduced lifecycle costs, and helped the City avoid more costly repairs in the future. Quality was maintained throughout construction through dedicated coatings inspections, ensuring surface preparation and application met strict performance standards. To align with the City’s budget priorities, the project included a financing plan with equal annual payments, giving Eagle River predictable costs and the confidence to proceed. 

Telecommunications coordination was integrated directly into the construction sequence, allowing critical communications to remain reliable throughout the project. Equipment removals, upgrades, and reinstallation were carefully planned with service providers to minimize schedule impacts and avoid service disruptions.

The rehabilitation was built for longevity. A forward-looking maintenance plan now supports future inspections, cleaning, and spot repairs, while a 10-year warranty protects the City from unplanned expenses. With a renewed protective system in place, the water tower is positioned to continue serving residents and first responders safely and reliably.