Why do water towers have their distinctive shape?

Question

Specifically, the ones with the bulge at the top and the narrow "stem".

Answer 1

The stand pipe performs 3 functions. First is to elevate the surface of the water so as to generate pressure in the pipes. All that is required for this is a pipe capable of flowing the water through it. Second is storage. The big section at the top stores water. This way you don't have to use pumps to deliver water to the user because the stored water is at the top of the structure and it does not lose pressure when flowing out. Third is regulation. Water could be stored over the entire height of the structure, but the water at lower heights will not deliver enough pressure, so it is wasted storage unless supplimented with a pump, and the idea of the stand pipe is to reduce pumping effort. Properly sized, the pump that replenishes the water to the top can be sized a whole lot smaller than a pump that is expected to deliver peak demand water flow.

stand pipes have fallen in disfavor in recent years. they would have to be humongous size to work in anything but the smallest communities. having a visable stand pipe is a kind of advertisement that this is or was a hick town, and many communities are trying to avoid that kind of display.

Answer 2

They look less ugly in the environment than a large cylinder stuck on top of a pole.
The 'Head Pressure' supplied by the height of the water tank above ground level is used to maintain the supply pressure of the main distribution pump during periods of high usage which will tend to lower the pressure to the users.
During low mains usage, the pressure of the mains is sufficient to replenish the level in the tower tank).

Answer 3

I don't think that water towers in this day and age have any distinctive shapes.
They are constructed in all shapes and sizes anymore.
Some look like teacups, some are buried underground at the summit of hills, etc.
Anymore, many small towns in the USA are distinctive because of the unusual shapes of their water towers.

Answer 4

I have seen cylindrical short ones from concrete, pipe-shaped tall ones from steel, wooden ones on stilts, spherical ones on a pipe, and peach shaped ones. Which distinctive shape do you mean?

In general they are tanks built to blend with the area they are in (ugly cylinders if they are out of the way and colorful spheres is they are prominent). Their design considers the required water capacity and how tall they need to be to have the required pressure, and what kind of weather they need to resist.

Pick one in "question details" and you can get a specific reply.

Answer 5

Why Are Water Towers Shaped The Way They Are

Answer 6

The only tall structure left after the Barneveld tornado in '84 was the water tower. They make 'em that way to withstand high winds...and hold water.

Answer 7

they hold the water in the top part and then the height helps to power the water through pipes with pressure.