East Palo Alto is edging closer to building a roughly 3 million-gallon potable water storage tank that city leaders say could finally steady low water pressure and give the small Peninsula city a meaningful emergency backup. This week, city staff laid out three possible locations for the project, along with early design concepts and price estimates, as officials continue trying to reduce heavy reliance on wholesale drinking water and boost local resilience.
According to Palo Alto Online, staff described an above-ground tank that would be East Palo Alto's first potable water storage reservoir and said it could hold about 3 million gallons. The outlet also reported early cost estimates in the range of $11 million to $17.5 million per site, a proposed height limit of roughly 35 feet, and a 20-foot setback from nearby buildings. The story notes that state water agencies and the city's own planning work have called for roughly 5 million gallons of storage capacity for the area.
Study and funding
City documents show that a tank siting study was authorized last year, directing consultants to look at options for "3+ million gallons" of storage and to dig into site feasibility, environmental constraints and possible ways to pay for the project. According to the City of East Palo Alto, staff is exploring grant and loan programs such as WIFIA and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to help cover construction and to shape a long-term financing strategy.
Why the storage matter
East Palo Alto currently purchases nearly all of its potable water from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and has very limited local storage, which leaves the system exposed to outages and pressure drops, according to City of East Palo Alto utility reports. The city does have smaller facilities, including a 136,000-gallon tank at the City of East Palo Alto Pad D site that was built to satisfy fire flow requirements. Still, those volumes fall far short of the multi-million-gallon reserve that staff says is needed. That shortfall is why employees argue a larger tank could both even out day-to-day pressure and serve as an emergency buffer if wholesale deliveries are disrupted.
Where the tanks might sit
Staff highlighted three potential locations: the city-owned Tanklage lot along Bay Road, a former RV park parcel on Woodland Avenue, and a future athletic field at the end of Pulgas Avenue that is tied to the Woodland Park redevelopment. As reported by Palo Alto Online, councilmembers showed the strongest support for the Tanklage site, while Mayor Webster Lincoln was quoted as saying, "if there was a last resort, it would probably be the future athletic field." The Woodland Park project by Sand Hill Properties includes open space components that staff say could make the athletic field option feasible if the developer formally reserves space.
What's next
Consultants will continue to sort through flood plain limits, environmental protections and construction logistics before staff return to the City Council with a recommended site. The City of East Palo Alto work plan lists the siting study as an active capital planning project. If the council signs off on a location and secures financing, detailed design and environmental review would follow before any construction schedule is set.
Neighbors will have chances to weigh in during environmental review and at public hearings. City staff say that updates and meeting materials will be posted as the study moves forward.
