The city of Spokane plans to construct a 1.1 million-gallon 134-foot-high water reservoir on Five Mile Prairie in a project it expects will boost water pressure to customers on the north end of that prairie.

The city is accepting bids until March 30 on the project, which is expected to cost about $2 million, says Dan Buller, a city design engineer.

The reservoir will be built on 2.5 acres of city-owned land about a quarter-mile northwest of the intersection of Vel View Drive and Dorset Road, Buller says. In addition to constructing the 38-foot-diameter reservoir, the project includes foundation work, a small building, piping, fencing, and grading work, he says.

The reservoir is to be built to the 134-foot height to provide adequate water pressure to homes in that area, Buller says. Currently, water customers on the north end of the prairie get their water from a reservoir along Strong Road, on the south side of the prairie. Water from that reservoir, however, reaches them at a lower pressure than the city normally provides, he says. The Strong Road reservoir will continue to serve customers on the south side of the prairie.