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Danny Lassiter knows the importance of reliable water storage. As project manager of the Gladeville Utility District in Tennessee, Lassiter continues to marvel at the dependability of Aquastore tanks. Gladeville has five Aquastore tanks and Lassiter says it’s impossible to tell the difference between the oldest tank, built in 1992, and one built in 2007.
“After we put the second tank online in 2007 we took the old one offline for inspections and cleaning,” says Lassiter. “We drained it, and the only thing we had to do was clean up some silt on the floor. The glass and bolts were in perfect condition.”
He figures maintenance on the older Aquastore has cost the district only about $200 over the last 15 years, a primary reason Gladeville employs five Aquastore tanks for storage, with a sixth on the way.
The Gladeville water treatment plant was built in 1992, when it also purchased its first Aquastore. Demand has grown and a third well was drilled in 2017. The region was a well-known overnight stop for the Shawnee because of the availability of water and shelter. Later, the area was home of the largest tobacco plantations and horse farms in the South, due in large part to the water supply.
For generations, residents and businesses have counted on water, and the Gladeville Utility District delivers, thanks to Aquastore and Southeastern Tank, the area’s exclusive Aquastore dealer.
“We have a concrete tank at Nashville Superspeedway, which is out of service because the track is closed to competitive events,” Lassiter said. “Some light bulbs were burned out in a hard-to-access area and I called Shelly at Southeastern and asked if they’d change them out. She said no one had ever asked them to do that before, but she’d be happy to.”
In fact, Southeastern Tank is located in the district and many employees, including CEO Dustin Dowdy, are customers.
“We are rural water through and through,” Dowdy said. “We offer systematic construction that is up to code and delivered on schedule, proactive and preventive care, the right accessory when you need it, and solutions to keep your water at optimal quality. Our goal is to deliver storage solutions that meet the needs of rural water systems at a price that meets their budgets.”
The Aquastore tank is built with a series of mechanical jacks, which use a smaller footprint than traditional steel or concrete tank erection. First, the top ring of panels is assembled, then lifted up to make room for the next ring and so on.
Its glass-fused-to steel technology is ideal for water and liquid storage. More than 100,000 have been installed for numerous applications in over 70 countries around the world. It is corrosion resistant and built to withstand the hot Florida sun, humidity and salt air, and it does not have to be repainted. Life cycle costs are low with minimal maintenance required.
Last year Gladeville pumped more than 700 million gal of water to 7,000 customers, and it is good to know its storage needs will be met for decades to come.
