Garthamlock Water Tower

The largest and second highest water storage tower in Britain, the Garthamlock Water Tower is located on Jerviston Road between Garthamlock and Craigend in Glasgow, 4 miles (6.5 km) east of the city centre. This massive concrete cylindrical structure, which is supported on rather delicate reinforced concrete columns, is a notable feature of the city's skyline. It contains 1,000,000 gallons (4.5 million litres) of water, providing the necessary height to supply the public housing estates which had been built by Glasgow Corporation on rolling hills to the northeast of the city. Water is pumped from Loch Katrine into the tower and released into homes under the effects of gravity. The structure was built 1956-58 to the designs of F.A. Macdonald and Partners. A mobile telephone communications mast was later built on its roof. It lies next to Craigend Water Tower, which is also massive, if somewhat lower in height. The pair were illuminated between 1999 and 2003 as part of a community arts project, and have been re-lit on various occasions since. Both towers are now owned by Scottish Water.


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