The Union Watersphere, also known as the Union Water Tower, is a

water tower A water tower is an elevated structure supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system, distribution system for potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. Water towe ...

topped with a sphere-shaped

water tank A water tank is a container for storing water. Water tanks are used to provide storage of water for use in many applications, drinking water, irrigation agriculture, fire suppression, agricultural farming, both for plants and livestock, chemi ...

in Union, New Jersey, United States and characterized as the ''World's Tallest Water Sphere''. Adjacent to

U.S. Route 22 U.S. Route 22 (US 22) is a west–east route and is one of the original United States highways of 1926, running from Cincinnati, Ohio, at US 27, US 42, US 127, and US 52 to Newark, New Jersey, at U.S. Route 1/9 in the Newark Airport Intercha ...

New Jersey Route 82 Route 82 is a short, state highway in Union County of the US state of New Jersey. It runs southeast from an intersection with Route 124 in Springfield Township along Morris Avenue to Route 439 in the Elizabeth general area. Along the route ...

, and the

Garden State Parkway The Garden State Parkway (GSP) is a controlled-access toll road that stretches the north–south length of eastern New Jersey from the state's southernmost tip near Cape May to the New York state line at Montvale. Its name refers to New Jersey ...

, the iconic tower has been a landmark since its construction. The tower was originally commissioned the Elizabethtown Water Company and is now owned by American Water. Standing tall, it was originally built in 1964 by

Chicago Bridge and Iron Company CB&I is a large engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company with its administrative headquarters in The Woodlands, Texas. CB&I specializes in projects for oil and gas companies. CB&I employs more than 32,000 people worldwide. In Ma ...

at the cost of $89,500 and holds of well water. Due to its proximity to an airport, at the request of the

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

, a red stroboscopic beacon was constructed atop the tower in 2008, adding of height. The pedestal is used as a

telecommunications tower Radio masts and towers are typically tall structures designed to support antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television. There are two main types: guyed and self-supporting structures. They are among the tallest human-made ...

. The tower is a grey-white, and in the past has been painted blue, with the name of the town in large letters across the sphere. Its location at a major intersection of some of the state's busiest roads, and proximity to

Newark Liberty International Airport Newark Liberty International Airport , originally Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport straddling the boundary between the cities of Newark in Essex County and Elizabeth in Union Count ...

, affords millions of people each year a view of the structure. A museum dedicated to the watersphere is located in

Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...

and is operated by a former Union resident. Another famous sphere, sometimes called the ''"world's largest light bulb"'' is located nearby at the Edison Memorial Tower.

Related and similar structures

A February 2012 ''Star Ledger'' article suggested a water tower in

Erwin, North Carolina Erwin, formerly named Duke, is a town that is located in the eastern part of Harnett County, North Carolina, United States, located approximately from Dunn and approximately from Fayetteville. The city is a part of the Dunn, NC Micropolitan S ...

completed in early 2012, tall and holding , had become the World's Tallest Water Sphere. However photographs of the Erwin water tower revealed the new tower to be a water spheroid. The water tower in

Braman, Oklahoma Braman is a town in Kay County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 217 at the 2010 census, a decline of 11.1 percent from the figure of 244 in 2000. History Braman was named for railroad developer Dwight Braman, when its post office was ...

, built by the

Kaw Nation The Kaw Nation (or Kanza or Kansa) is a federally recognized Native American tribe in Oklahoma and parts of Kansas. It comes from the central Midwestern United States. It has also been called the "People of the South wind",

and completed in 2010, is tall and can hold . Slightly taller than the Union Watersphere, it is technically a spheroid. Another tower in Oklahoma, built in 1986 and billed as the ''"largest water tower in the country"'', is tall, can hold , and is located in Edmond. The ''Earthoid'', a nearly spherical tank located in

Germantown, Maryland Germantown is an urbanized census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. With a population of 91,249 as of 2020 U.S. Decennial Census, Germantown is the third most populous place in Maryland, after the city of Baltimore ...

is tall and holds gallons of water. The name is taken from it being painted to resemble a globe of the world. The golf ball-shaped tank of the water tower at

Gonzales, California Gonzales is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. Gonzales is located southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of . The population was 8,647 at the 2020 census, up from 8,187 at the 2010 census. Gonzales is a member of the Assoc ...

is supported by three tubular legs and reaches about high. The Watertoren (or Water Towers) in

Eindhoven Eindhoven () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of North Brabant of which it is its largest. With a population of 238,326 on 1 January 2022,Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

contain three spherical tanks, each in diameter and capable of holding of water, on three spires were completed in 1970.

References

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External links

Wikimapia Union-WatersphereWorld's Tallest WatersphereLost in Jersey Union Watersphere
Water towers in New Jersey Buildings and structures in Union County, New Jersey Tourist attractions in Union County, New Jersey Infrastructure completed in 1964 Towers completed in 1964 Roadside attractions in New Jersey Union Township, Union County, New Jersey 1964 establishments in New Jersey

Related and similar structures

See also

References

External links