Historical Western Springs
Western Springs’ 1976 Water Tower Controversy
Thirty-seven years ago, the Village Board determined that the town needed additional water storage. But, where should it be built … and in what form?
While the image of our historic downtown water tower appears on the village’s trucks, website, and welcome signs, in 1976 the Western Springs village board had another water tower on its mind. Back in the 1890s, the original tower had been the village’s only water storage facility, holding fewer than 100,000 gallons. To supplement this, the village eventually added reservoirs at its water treatment plant, which held another 300,000 gallons. As the town’s population boomed in the 1950s, a million gallon water tower was built in Spring Rock Park. But, with continued growth and the annexation of Ridgewood, water pressure was becoming a big concern, especially on hot summer days when usage could often top 3.5 million gallons. In July 1976, the…
