The new 2 million gallon Highland Park Water Tank rises off Palmer Drive in Blacksburg. The contractors, CROM Corp. of Gainesville, Fla., have spent the last several weeks preparing the base and erecting the framework for the tank. Tanks on the site help deliver water to most of Blacksburg and Virginia Tech. Planning for a new tank began in February 1994 after winter storms knocked out power to the town's water treatment plant for 30 hours. Many residents lost water service because the tank system, while adequate for normal use, holds only 27 hours worth of water in case of emergency. The new tank will immediately increase the town's emergency water capacity to 30 hours. The project is expected to be completed in the fall.

GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOTS. Send us photos featuring the people of the New River Valley. Photos must have been taken within a month of submission and include subjects' names, location, date and contact information for the photographer. Photos will not be returned. Send to: The Roanoke Times/Your Best Shot, P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg, Va., 24068. Digital photos must be jpegs with a minimum resolution (dpi) of 200 (at a size of 6 by 4 inches). E-mail photos to newriver@roanoke.com. Write Your Best Shot in the subject line.