(Milan, IN) – The Town of Milan held a groundbreaking ceremony for its waterworks improvement project on Monday afternoon.
The project includes a new 150,000 gallon elevated water storage tank and water main replacement.
Nearly 14,000 feet of water main and 128 service lines will be replaced.
Some of the pipes are nearly 80 years and are deteriorating and leaky.
Plans also call for the installation of new fire hydrants throughout the town.
The top of the new storage tank will be painted to resemble a basketball and will pay tribute to the 1954 state champion Milan Indians.
“The tower will be a conversation piece that I think will draw a lot of attention to the town,” said Milan Town Board president Deb Shumate.
The $5 Million project is being funded through loans and grants from the Indiana Finance Authority and the Indiana Office of Rural and Community Affairs.
The Southeastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (SIPRC) helped the town secure funding for the project.
“(The new storage tower) is really going to help brand the Town of Milan, and it already has the identity with the ’54 state champs, and the basketball on top of the water tower really sealed the deal for that,” said SIRPC Executive Director Mary McCarty. “Hopefully, it will bring more people to Milan.
The storage tank near the intersection of Warpath Drive/State Road 101 and State Road 350 (pictured) was scheduled to be torn down Tuesday morning.
