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For many years, the businesses along Interstate Drive, Fort Dale Road and Willow Lane have had to deal with a common problem – weak water pressure.

Greenville Mayor Dexter McLendon said the issue has posed problems for the hotels, restaurants and The Edge 8 movie theatre since the area began growing as new businesses opened. Thanks to the completion of a new 200-foot water tower on Cahaba Road, those issues should soon be washed away.

“We want more businesses to come to that area and we want the area to continue to grow,” McLendon said. “But the water pressure is an issue we’ve needed to address for a while.”

For more than a decade, a water tower on Manningham Road has served all the businesses in the Interstate Drive area. Chris Finley with the Greenville Water Works said the new water tank will work with the one located on Manningham Road.

“The tank on Manningham Road has trouble getting enough pressure to all of the businesses because of its location,” he said. “Once you start going away from Manningham toward Walmart, the terrain becomes more elevated. That makes it difficult for the one tank to push enough water for decent pressure at each business.”

Finley said the water tower on Cahaba Road has a capacity of 500,000 gallons and comes with a price tag of $1.2 million. He added that the new tank will also serve the White Oak area.

“The two tanks will be connected and will operate on a loop system,” Finley said. “Also, the new tank is 70 feet taller than the tank on Manningham.”

Work has nearly been completed on the new water tower. McLendon said it should be operational soon.

“This is a project that we’re very excited about getting done,” he concluded. “I’d say it’s been about six or seven years in the making. The new water tank is really going to benefit that whole area and will allow us to recruit more businesses to come to Greenville.”