Santa Ana Water Tower
The Santa Ana Water Tower is a historic water tower in Santa Ana, California. A recognizable symbol of the city, it is a common sight for people passing through on the I-5.
| Santa Ana Water Tower | |
|---|---|
 The water tower in 2011 | |
| Type | Water tower |
| Location | 1524 Penn Way #1494, Santa Ana, CA 92701 |
| Coordinates | 33.75780°N 117.86184°W |
| Height | 153 ft (47 m) |
| Built | 1928 |
| Governing body | City of Santa Ana |
  Location of Santa Ana Water Tower in the Los Angeles metropolitan area  Santa Ana Water Tower (California)  Santa Ana Water Tower (the United States) | |
The water tower is on the Santa Ana Register of Historic Properties List, number 253. It is designated as a "Landmark."[1] It is frequently scaled illegally.[2][3] The tower is also featured on the crest of the football club Santa Ana Winds FC.
History
The water tower was built in 1928 to hold water for the 30,000 residents of Santa Ana at the time. However, once the city expanded to its present-day population of more than ten times that number, it became more of a landmark.[4] The tower was repainted in 1990 and 2008. Ladders were also added near that time.[2]
Features
At 153 ft (47 m) tall, the water tower was designed to hold a maximum of one million gallons of water. Currently, it contains about 800,000. Internet companies pay the city to use the tower as a cell tower. The tower also contains a vent, which allows air to escape as the water fills up. The vent is sealed in order to keep out debris and animals. It meets all of California's seismic engineering standards.[4]
The tower is illuminated with different colors, sometimes reflecting recent events, such as turning purple and gold in memory of Kobe Bryant or becoming blue and yellow in support of Ukraine during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[5][6]
References
- "Santa Ana Register of Historic Places" (PDF). City of Santa Ana. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
- "Santa Ana Water Tower". Anaheim Inn. 2018-08-12. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
- Pamer, Melissa (2017-08-22). "Man Who Climbed 153-Foot Water Tower Taken Into Custody by Santa Ana Police". KTLA. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
- "Santa Ana's landmark tower: What is it? What does it do?". The Orange County Register. 2013-07-30. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
- "Santa Ana honors Kobe Bryant, iconic city water tower illuminated in purple and gold". The Orange County Register. 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
- "Local landmarks bathed in Ukrainian colors in show of support". The Orange County Register. 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2023-07-14.