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 / 33.75780; -117.86184
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 Show map of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Santa Ana Water Tower (California) Show map of California Santa Ana Water Tower (the United States) Show map of 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

1. "Santa Ana Register of Historic Places" (PDF). City of Santa Ana. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
2. "Santa Ana Water Tower". Anaheim Inn. August 12, 2018. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
3. Pamer, Melissa (August 22, 2017). "Man Who Climbed 153-Foot Water Tower Taken Into Custody by Santa Ana Police". KTLA. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
4. "Santa Ana's landmark tower: What is it? What does it do?". The Orange County Register. July 30, 2013. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
5. "Santa Ana honors Kobe Bryant, iconic city water tower illuminated in purple and gold". The Orange County Register. January 28, 2020. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
6. "Local landmarks bathed in Ukrainian colors in show of support". The Orange County Register. March 4, 2022. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.