ARTICLE

Elevated Water Tower vs. Ground Storage: Lessons from Spillville, Iowa

BY Marc Ruden, PE | marc.ruden@origindesign.com | 563-556-2464

Communities across Iowa and the Midwest are reevaluating aging water infrastructure—especially elevated water towers that are costly to maintain and no longer meet operational needs.

At the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Iowa Section Region 1 Operator’s Meeting, Marc Ruden, PE, Water Resources Team Leader at Origin Design, shared a case study highlighting how one community approached this challenge.

The Challenge in Spillville

Spillville, Iowa relied on a 40,000‑gallon elevated water tower built around 1915. While the tower had served the community well, it was nearing the end of its service life and required ongoing maintenance. The system was also undersized for current and future needs, with pressure concerns in higher parts of the distribution system.

Evaluating Water Storage Options

Working with Origin Design, city leaders evaluated three options:

Replacing the tower with a new elevated structure
Combining ground storage and a booster station while keeping the existing tower
Converting fully to ground storage with a booster station

Key decision factors included future demand, system pressure, up‑front and long‑term costs, maintenance requirements, and operational complexity.

“ Modernizing water infrastructure isn’t about replacing what worked 100 years ago—it’s about building a system that meets today’s demands and tomorrow’s needs. ”

Marc Ruden, PE Water Resources Team Leader | Origin Design

The Selected Solution

The City chose to replace the elevated tower with a ground storage reservoir and booster station located on City‑owned land. This approach reduced upfront costs, eliminated tower maintenance, improved system pressure, and provided more operational flexibility—while still meeting equalization and emergency storage needs.

The project included:

New booster pumps with redundancy
Ground storage sized for equalization and emergency demand
SCADA controls for automated operation
Targeted water main upgrades
A carefully planned commissioning process

A Model for Other Communities

The Spillville case study demonstrates that replacing aging infrastructure isn’t always about building the same thing again. For many communities, ground storage and booster systems can provide a more sustainable, cost‑effective solution that improves long‑term performance.

If your community is evaluating water storage options, Origin Design’s Water Resources team can help guide the decision-making process from analysis through construction.

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This Sunday, April 26, marks the anniversary of Origin Design becoming an ESOP. Recently, a few members of our team attended the NCEO Conference in Milwaukee, where we deepened our understanding of ESOP culture, leadership, sustainability, and employee engagement.

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Mary Abbott, Senior Design Technician, and Tasha Vondal, Project Support Specialist, have spent the past year working closely on DOT funded projects. Mary has shared her 40 years of expertise in contract administration, guiding Tasha through every phase of the process, from project setup and bidding, to construction administration, payments, and change orders. This collaboration reflects our commitment to mentorship, teamwork, and delivering consistent, high-quality solutions for our clients.

As National Architecture Week comes to a close, we asked our team to reflect on the projects that inspired growth, learning, and collaboration. We’re grateful for the challenges that push us forward, the lessons that shape our work, and most importantly, the people who bring every project to life.

Today we’re proud to recognize our Architectural team in the Quad Cities and Waterloo/Cedar Falls areas! Their collaboration and problem-solving skills help transform ideas into spaces that serve communities across the region.

Happy National Architecture Week!

This week we’re recognizing our Architectural team starting with our Dubuque Office. Their insight and dedication to thoughtful design help shape spaces that support the people and communities we serve.

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We were excited to welcome some special visitors today from Junior Achievement of the Heartland as we celebrate JA Day! From volunteering in classrooms to bowl-a-thons and giving back, we’re proud supporters of Junior Achievement and the impact it has on our community. Community is one of our core values, and supporting the next generation is one way we bring it to life.

We’re proud to recognize Laurie Wehrspann, who was nominated for Women's Leadership Network of Dubuque Women of Achievement Awards.

For almost 35 years, Laurie has been a steady, behind-the-scenes force at Origin Design. As our accounting assistant, her dedication, precision, and institutional knowledge are integral to our day-to-day operations and long-term success. Her commitment and quiet impact do not go unnoticed.

Congratulations, Laurie, on this well-earned recognition, and thank you for all you continue to do.

Happy National Surveyors Week to the professionals who lay the groundwork for everything we build.

Our surveyors are often the first on-site, gathering the critical data that drives informed planning, design, and construction. Their precision enables safer, smarter, and more sustainable communities. A huge thank you to our incredible team for the accuracy, dedication, and innovation they bring to every project.

A major infrastructure upgrade is taking shape in Oelwein, IA. Origin Design’s team designed the new 10th St. SW replacement bridge, now under construction by Taylor Construction. For this Field Trip Friday, crews were setting 97-foot-long, 31 ton pretensioned prestressed concrete beams into place.

International Women’s Day reminds us that progress is driven by diverse perspectives. We’re proud to recognize the women of Origin Design whose skill, vision, and leadership strengthen our culture, our projects, and our future.