WACO - — A new water tower in Waco is a few months away from being complete. The city says the former Owen Lane water tower was 60 years old and in dire need of replacement.
I'm just fascinated by these things, I like the old water tower too," said Waco resident Michael Jeffery.
Since the old tower was demolished in October 2017, Jeffery and his daughter have been coming by nearly every day to check on its progress, but he was in for a surprise when he missed the most exciting part.
"We've been keeping an eye on it, watching everything in the process and boom it's up there," said Jeffery. "I just came by on Saturday and it was not up."
The City of Waco says the Owen Lane Water tower was lifted early Monday morning.
"They are hoisting the tank up to the top of the pedestal, making it look like it almost would in the end. They just have to put a roof on it, said Waco Water Utility Services spokesman Jonathan Echols.
The new tower is part of a $250 million Building Waco Project. Over the next 10 years major infrastructures like aging water, sewer and roadways will be updated. The city says the new tower will allow them to be more efficient with how they move water around the city.
"We demolished the old tower," said Echols. "It was about a 1.5 million gallon tower. The new one in its place is composite to new style and it holds two million gallons."
Jeffery says he may have missed it go up, but he'll continue to stop by.
"I mean I like all this infrastructure stuff. When they build bridges I just have to watch that too. It's just something to do," said Jeffery.
The City of Waco say there is a time lapse being done on the project. The video will post once the project is complete in January 2019.