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Laguna Woods water tower: Come for the view, stay for the serenity

March 27, 2023

When I moved three years ago to a condo on Via Serena South in Laguna Woods, I had no idea our community had a “lighthouse-looking” structure atop a nearby knoll.

Thinking it was a defunct water tower, I checked out the Village History Center and learned that it’s actually a surge tower above a potable water pipeline owned jointly by several water districts and operated by the South Coast Water District. While the pipeline is on Village property, it doesn’t supply water to us because our water comes from the El Toro Water District.

On road trips, I’ve always been fascinated with water tower shapes, sizes and colors. Apparently, the size and shape are determined by its intended use.

If a tower is holding water for a small area nearby, most likely it will be squatty and sitting on the ground. Towering tanks visible from miles away can hold as much as 1.5 million gallons and provide water for large metropolitan areas.

In Gaffney, South Carolina, a popular tourist attraction known as the Giant Peach is actually a water tower that sits upon a 150-foot structure and holds 1 million gallons.

Water towers are very active inside. When demand is low during the night, they will fill up with water pumped at a treatment plant that is then used during daytime hours. Stored water is especially important during a power outage since electricity isn’t required for the available water to flow out of the tank.

In big cities like New York, many apartment and office buildings have water towers on top of their roofs. Some are iconic, such as the Brooks Catsup Bottle water tower in Collinsville, Illinois, and Rochester, Minnesota’s corn-shaped water tower.

Even though I referred to our surge tower as lighthouse-looking, lighthouse fans say otherwise because water towers are functional, and lighthouses are mystifying.

A lighthouse is considered to be a beacon of hope for distant travelers and a source of solitude for the caretaker. Both purposes conjure up feelings of mystery and romance. Lighthouses have become such popular tourist attractions that many have been converted into bed and breakfasts.

Even though our surge tower isn’t a lighthouse or tourist attraction, it’s definitely worth a visit at the end of cul-de-sac 306. Along with a picturesque white tower, you’ll find stunning views amongst the serenity of pine trees plus benches and chairs.

You can bring a picnic meal, do some tai chi or meditate. You could even be serenaded by the gentle sounds of an occasional clarinetist. It’s our little slice of heaven.

Writer, editor and speaker Cheryl Russell is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at [email protected].

Orange County Register

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Laguna Woods water tower: Come for the view, stay for the serenity

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