The Luke Air Force Base water tower also serves as a welcome to those who visit Fighter Country.

The water tower, managed by the members of the 56th Civil Engineer Squadron Water Treatment Plant Operations, has been a structure on Luke for more than 50 years. Emblazoned with the Air Education and Training Command shield and the phrase, “Welcome to Fighter Country,” the tower still serves a vital daily role for Luke.

Water is pumped from the water wells into the storage tanks where it stays until needed. It’s one of the three towers from where all potable water comes. Holding 500,000 gallons, the tower supplies all of the potable water to the base east of the bridge.

Even while it is being cleaned, it continues to be used. Contractors don scuba gear to clean the tank and inspect the tower from the inside out while it’s in use. The tower provides more than 60 percent of the used water on the base. The tower is also very cost effective, using gravity to provide the pressure needed to supply water to the base.