The Genesee County Economic Development Center plans to build a 500,000-gallon water storage tank at WNY STAMP to help with the fire suppression needs of current and potential park tenants.
The immediate need to provide sufficient water pressure for the Edwards Vaccum plant is now under construction.
Mark Masse, CEO of GCEDC, said a 12-inch water main supplies STAMP now, but the water pressure isn't sufficient to meet Edwards's fire suppression needs.
Edwards will need 120,000 gallons of water at the ready from the tank to support its fire impression system. The excess capacity will provide service to any future tenants.
The water will be non-potable and rarely changed. A heating element will keep it from freezing in the winter.
A 30-acre parcel is available to the north of the new Edwards facility. If a potential buyer were interested, Edwards would have first right of refusal.
"There is a potential for a project there that could utilize that tank as well," Masse told the Genesee County Planning Board on Thursday.
STAMP Waterworks Corporation, which will own the tang, currently has an operations and maintenance agreement with the town of Batavia for the tank and the rest of the water system at the STAMP site.
The tank's design and engineering have yet to be completed, so Massee couldn't provide an estimated cost when asked by The Batavian. He said bids should go out by the end of the year. Funding is from a grant, Fast New York, already received by GCEDC to fund the overall infrastructure for STAMP.
