Heritage Harbour Elevated Water Storage Tank FAQs

It is a large, welded steel tank that holds water at a higher elevation than residences to pressurize the system using gravity. The tank is connected to the water distribution system, and a control valve is used to maintain system pressure and water level within the tank level as needed.

One million gallons

The Elevated Water Storage Tank provides gravity storage for firefighting capacity, flow equalization (maintaining consistent pressure and water availability during varying water demands throughout the day) and emergency storage. Currently, there is a single point of water entry into the pressure zone, which results in a single point-of-failure when that water main breaks, which creates water outages for the entire community.

Roughly 50 to 75 years

The Heritage Harbour Elevated Water Storage Tank would provide redundancy in the Heritage Harbour Water Pressure Zone. In the case of a water main break or water outage, the Elevated Water Storage Tank will ensure a reliable supply of water for adequate fire protection and continue water service to the community. It also provides backup water supply for peak usage hours and in case of emergency, such as fire suppression needs and ensures a safe water supply for residents in the community.

Due to loss of water pressure, there is a total loss of water service at homes and a loss of all available firefighting water at hydrants until the distribution system is repaired and put back into service.

As of 2025, approximately 1,400 dwellings containing approximately 3,300 people are impacted. 

You are unlikely to notice any change in water pressure. However, the maximum water pressure may rise by approximately 5 psi during periods of low water use.

The water main distribution system is a branch system with many valves to allow isolation of portions of the water main. If a water main experiences a break, needs repaired or needs replaced, the water outage will be limited to a smaller population of residents instead of the entire community.

Cellular antennas are not part of this project. The project does require a low-power radio frequency antenna to communicate with the County’s control system, which is standard for Elevated Water Storage Tanks.

Some residents have raised concerns about non-ionizing radio frequency field (RFF) radiation emitted from cellular antennas. The County does not plan to explore cellular antennas on the Heritage Harbour tank. 

The County’s water system is divided into 14 pressure zones or service areas, each with a distinct hydraulic grade based on the ground elevations within that zone. Eight of the 14 zones are interconnected, which enables the County to transfer water between these zones as needed. There are also two sub-pressure zones that are entirely within and served by a single larger pressure zone. The remaining land not contained in one of the 14 pressure zones is either served by the City of Annapolis, Fort Meade or is designated as Rural. Heritage Harbour Water Pressure Zone is one of three zones in the county without an Elevated Water Storage Tank.

Currently, the Heritage Harbour Water Pressure Zone does not have water storage, and due to the single water supply from the water main that runs along Harry S. Truman Parkway, a service disruption can cause approximately 3,300 residents to experience a water outage. There would also be no water available for firefighting during these outages. 

The construction of an Elevated Water Storage Tank is not a “new” need and has been recommended in the Heritage Harbour Water Pressure Zone dating back to the County’s 2003 Comprehensive Water Strategic Plan. The absence of an Elevated Water Storage Tank resulted in five widespread outages in the last decade. The Elevated Water Storage Tank is needed for improved reliability, redundancy and firefighting capacity.

Yes, the design and construction of the tank is in the current budget.

This project is part of the larger Water Storage Tank Program, which is an ongoing program. Water storage has been recommended in the Heritage Harbour Water Pressure Zone dating back to the County’s 2003 Comprehensive Water Strategic Plan.

The Heritage Harbour Water Pressure Zone currently relies on a single point of entry for its water supply. A single water main, which is approximately 25 years old, runs along Harry S. Truman Parkway and is fed by a single booster station to send water to the entire Heritage Harbour Water Pressure Zone. The current water main and booster station alignment presents a large potential for a single point of failure.

The initial project planning and site evaluations began in 2013. Once a site is selected for the construction of the Elevated Water Storage Tank, the project is planned for completion in 2029.

The total construction cost could range between $8 million to $15 million and will depend on the tank height and proximity to existing water mains, which will not be known until the final site is determined. 

The contractor for the project will be determined following the project bidding process. Elevated Water Storage Tanks are built by reputable firms who demonstrate experience with constructing tanks for the County.

All water users within the pressure zone, as well as any residents within 1,000 feet of a water hydrant, will be positively impacted with reliable water service. Additionally, residents in nearby areas without hydrants would benefit from additional reliability of tanker trucks’ ability to tap into hydrants at the edge of the system to refill for firefighting availability. The County’s overall water system also stands to benefit from the tank due to less strain and degradation on the pumps at the Heritage Harbour Booster Pumping Station.

Overall, the hydraulic model demonstrates that the new tank is expected to improve fire flow availability within the service area, as well as potentially improve maximum water pressures. Water service will be more reliable since the addition of the Elevated Water Storage Tank will make it possible to install multiple shutoffs to the water main, which will isolate failures or allow for limited shutoff during scheduled maintenance.

Alternatives would be to invest in potentially cost-prohibitive mechanical systems, such as additional pumps or pumping stations. This would require a similar evaluation and selection process as the Elevated Water Storage Tank but would add significant costs for the County for energy and maintenance, in addition to capital costs. Instead, an Elevated Water Storage Tank, once constructed, requires minimal maintenance efforts or cost, and it requires no additional energy costs because water towers use gravity to pressurize the water supply. In the long term, an Elevated Water Storage Tower is the more efficient and reliable option, both operationally and economically, and offers benefits that additional pumps cannot, such as reliable fire protection.

Without the Elevated Water Storage Tank addition to the Heritage Harbour Water Pressure Zone, the community would be left at risk of having insufficient water service supply during water main breaks, system disruptions or critical outages, and emergencies like firefighting efforts. 

The County conducted two prior public meetings, on September 19, 2013, and March 25, 2025. The need for the Elevated Water Storage Tank was originally identified and included in the County’s 2003 Comprehensive Water Strategic Plan.

Additional details and information about this project are available on the Capital Improvements Project webpage: aacounty.org/HeritageHarbourEWST.

Specifically for the Heritage Harbour Water Pressure Zone, the Department of Public Works began an extensive review process in 2013 for potential sites for the construction of the new Elevated Water Storage Tank. Over the past 11 years, the County reviewed 12 different locations for viability as a potential site. The minimum standards for a site to meet viability criteria include:

• Ground surface elevation: Target of 145 feet; minimum of 100 feet +/-
• Tank height: Maximum of 200 feet +/-
• Target length of connection to water main: Less than 5,000 feet from Elevated Water Storage Tank
• Land parcel size: Minimum of 1.5 acres
• Environmental considerations: No floodplain; no steep slopes; not in a critical area
• Property: Must be available for sale to the County
• Tank overflow elevation: 285 feet
• Top of tank elevation: 300-305 feet

Additional criteria considered during the evaluation process are: accessibility for service, historical or archeological impacts, environmental impacts, land plans, proximity to airports, construction requirements and capital costs, and balance of the water pressure zone.
 

The current sites under consideration as technically viable locations include:

• Site Location A (Approx. 960 Bermuda Lane, Annapolis, MD 21401)
• Site Location D (427 Ashers Farm Road, Annapolis, MD 21401, and adjacent open space lot)
• Site Location E (1890 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, MD 21401)
• Site Location H (534 Defense Highway, Crownsville, MD 21032)
• Site Location J (1907 & 1909 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, MD 21401)
• Site Location K (2000 Windermere Court, Annapolis, MD 21401)
• Site Location L (Open space off North River Road, Annapolis, MD 21401)
  
   

The County considers both composite (concrete pedestal with painted steel tank) or fluted column (painted steel pedestal with painted steel tank) types. Composite tanks are increasingly cost-competitive, and all tanks constructed by the County within the last 15 years have been composite tanks. Tank height and water main connection length and size are significant factors.

The County requires strict adherence to environmental regulations such as erosion and sediment control, noise exposure, stormwater management, forest conservation, steep slopes, wetlands, floodplains, and the Critical Area. The project will be permitted by the appropriate County and State of Maryland agencies prior to construction.

Generally, a new Elevated Water Storage Tank is not expected to have a significant negative impact on local wildlife or migratory birds, especially with proper design and operational considerations. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service recommends using FAA-approved, flashing beacon lights to reduce lighting disorientation to migratory birds to mitigate collision risk, which is included in this project.

The impacts on traffic are unknown until a site is determined. Any impacts will be managed by traffic control plans. Minimal traffic impacts can be expected with partial road closures during certain phases of construction.

Typically, construction takes place on weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. No weekend or holiday work is typically planned.

The tower would be provided with an FAA-approved beacon light on top but otherwise is expected to remain unlit. This FAA-approved beacon light is similar to what is already in existence on all other Elevated Water Storage Tanks as well as radio towers or cellular antennas in the County. It is in the top center of the tower and not highly visible from the ground and is also recommended by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to reduce lighting disorientation to migratory birds to mitigate collision risk.

The tank is expected to be painted an off-white blue, and the support pedestal is expected to be the color of concrete (light gray). The County does not typically stencil logos onto the tank. 

No. Elevated Water Storage Tanks operate on gravity to pressurize the water supply, as the tower releases water downwards into the service system. This means that the Elevated Water Storage Tower does not require any electrical machinery to pressurize the system and does not have any active pumps or motors on-site that would make noise.  

• The tanks are visited periodically by Water Operations staff for preventative maintenance. This maintenance schedule includes once-per-month visits to perform a detailed cleaning and inspection. The visit will not cause discernible noise and predominantly involves quiet checks inside of the tank.
• Every 5 years tanks are subject to inspection from a contractor.
• Every 10 years the tanks are subject to recurring maintenance and rehabilitation work. This could include power washing, inspection of interior/exterior coating, and repairs. It could also include repainting the exterior top (bowl) of the tank.
   

Properly installed and maintained tanks are not prone to failure. The County manages and maintains 31 Elevated Water Storage Tanks and there is no record of leaks at any of these facilities. The County maintains a regular maintenance schedule for all tanks in accordance with recommended guidelines, including coatings to prevent corrosion.

DPW is committed to establishing and maintaining a comprehensive Safety and Health Program that protects our employees and ensures the safety of the public we serve. Our commitment to safety is embedded in every aspect of our operations. All County Capital Projects require regular safety inspections throughout the construction project as well as strict adherence to safety protocols.

The Viable Site Location survey results will be published on the project webpage when the decision on next steps is made.

You may contact DPW Customer Relations and refer to contact information on the public webpage. You can either email: pwcust00@aacounty.org or call (410) 222-7582.

All project details will be shared on the public project webpage found here: aacounty.org/HeritageHarbourEWST.

On the public project webpage found here: aacounty.org/HeritageHarbourEWST.