Irving is replacing one of its longtime water landmarks with a much larger elevated storage tank in northwest Irving, near Esters Road and West Rochelle Road. The project sits beside the city’s police and fire training facilities, close to the West Irving Library and the Islamic Center of Irving.
The original tower, built in 1985, holds about 1.5 million gallons. Its replacement will hold about 2.5 million gallons and uses a modern concrete-pedestal design instead of exposed steel legs. The added capacity will help Irving meet future demand while supporting water pressure and firefighting needs.
Historic aerials show the area changing from mostly open land in the late 1950s into the developed neighborhood and municipal complex seen today. Construction of the new tower is now well underway, with the huge steel bowl being assembled and painted before it is eventually lifted onto the concrete pedestal.
Once the new tower enters service, the old 1985 tank is expected to be demolished. The images below trace how the site reached this point and how Irving’s next generation of water infrastructure is taking its place.
February 2001
By February 2001, Irving’s original elevated water tank had already stood here for about 16 years. The 1.5-million-gallon tank was built in 1985. The surrounding police and fire training property had also developed substantially since the 1980s. However, considerable open land remained around the municipal complex.
March 2020
Nearly two decades later, the original tower remained a familiar landmark above the training complex. Irving had rehabilitated the tank in 2010, extending its service life. By 2020, the surrounding property was much more mature, with established buildings, landscaping and paved areas. No replacement tower was yet visible.
February 2025
The site still looked largely unchanged in February 2025. The original tower remained in service while the modern training complex surrounded it. That was about to change dramatically. Irving planned a larger replacement tank nearby rather than continuing to invest in the aging structure.
February 2026
Construction had transformed the property by February 2026. A large circular work area marked the site of the new elevated storage tank. The original tower remained standing only a short distance away. For a time, two generations of Irving water infrastructure would share the same property.
July 2026
By July, the project looked completely different from ground level. The new concrete pedestal had risen above the site while crews assembled the enormous steel tank bowl below. The bowl was being built at ground level before eventually being painted and lifted onto the pedestal.
August 2026
An August aerial showed just how dramatically the new tower had changed the property. The concrete pedestal stood southeast of the original tank, which remained in place. The new structure will eventually hold 2.5 million gallons, one million more than its predecessor…