Designs for a new above-ground water reservoir near the wastewater treatment plant in College Place will be partly funded by a loan from the state.

The Washington Public Works Board approved a $427,130 loan to the city of College Place for the project as part of its pre-construction funding program, which helps accelerate projects toward construction, according to a news release from the board.

On Tuesday, Aug. 8, College Place Public Works Director Robert McAndrews said the additional reservoir will help the city supply drinking water and flow needed for fire suppression to areas where future development is planned, south and west of town.

“As College Place grows, there’s a need for additional water storage,” he said. “Really we’re just trying to set up our system to accommodate future growth and to make sure that the infrastructure is there to handle it.”

He said the city has a contract with J-U-B Engineers for the design of the water tower and transmission main line.

The storage tank will be near Owens Road, and the transmission main will go under Mojonnier Road to connect the tank to the city’s system, McAndrews said.

“The loan is to help us complete the design and get to the point where we can go to construction,” he said.

The design work is estimated to cost about $650,000, while construction is estimated to cost $16.5 million. The tank would hold between 500,000 and 1 million gallons of water.

“We’re working hard to get all of this done and make sure everything falls into line in a timely fashion,” McAndrews said.