UPDATE: New east side fire substation in Watertown remains a possibility  (Audio)

October 21, 2020
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.—Building a third fire station in Watertown is still in the works, although it could be a few years yet before it happens.

Watertown’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for the years 2022-2026 is a document that reflects the city’s intention to move forward on specific projects that would still require final budget approval, and a new substation is included in it.

Watertown Fire Rescue Chief Doug Kranz says response times to emergency calls are what’s driving the need for an east side substation…

They’ve got a timeline when they’d like to see a new substation become a budgeted project….

But they don’t have a location picked out yet…

Kranz addressed the question of whether more equipment and personnel would be required to staff a new substation….

The highest-cost item in the CIP is for street improvements for Watertown, which are estimated to cost more than $15.2 million.

Watertown’s CIP can be viewed by clicking here: https://watertown.civicweb.net/document/17574/Presentation,%20review%20and%20public%20input%20on%20Propos.pdf?handle=402952A92CBD4E58B0ED74D58F816406