# Cullman, Alabama, water treatment plant **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 25, 2024, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cullman-alabama-water-treatment-plant/1006212 "2024-08-25T20:33:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cullman-alabama-water-treatment-plant/1006212/1 "2024-08-25T20:33:35Z")
They have a tall control tower that looks like a flying saucer from the air. But I have documented dozens of water treatment plants and none had control towers. What do they do up there? And how do they get up there? Looks like a freakin ladder! [https://vintageaerial.com/photos/alabama/cullman/1983/10376/23/1](https://vintageaerial.com/photos/alabama/cullman/1983/10376/23/1) [https://www.google.com/maps/@34.183141,-86.8110305,3a,60y,174.41h,89.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUK9UMa9sg095tmiPhYBBdA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?coh=205409&entry=ttu&g\_ep=EgoyMDI0MDgyMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D](https://www.google.com/maps/@34.183141,-86.8110305,3a,60y,174.41h,89.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUK9UMa9sg095tmiPhYBBdA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?coh=205409&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDgyMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cullman-alabama-water-treatment-plant/1006212/2 "2024-08-25T22:02:02Z")
@mixdenny To my eye, this looks more like a model than an aerial photo of an actual facility. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cullman-alabama-water-treatment-plant/1006212/3 "2024-08-25T22:06:34Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > To my eye, this looks more like a model than an aerial photo of an actual facility. The first link almost undoubtedly is of an architectural model. The second link goes to a modern photo of the actual facility, apparently from Google Maps / Street View. > [@mixdenny](#): > > And how do they get up there? I would guess that there is a stairwell inside one or both of the support pillars. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cullman-alabama-water-treatment-plant/1006212/4 "2024-08-25T22:25:42Z")
Well, unless the modelers were so into detail that they created perfectly accurate scale model vehicles in the parking lot (which also has extremely realistic stains) and weathered in footpaths in the grass… that’s a photo of a real-world place. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cullman-alabama-water-treatment-plant/1006212/5 "2024-08-25T22:28:51Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Well, unless the modelers were so into detail that they created perfectly accurate scale model vehicles in the parking lot (which also has extremely realistic stains) and weathered in footpaths in the grass Upon looking more closely at the first photo, I now tend to agree. There’s something about it, when I first looked at it (and I’m apparently not the only one) that made me think it looked like a model. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cullman-alabama-water-treatment-plant/1006212/6 "2024-08-25T22:38:51Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > There’s something about it, when I first looked at it (and I’m apparently not the only one) that made me think it looked like a model. - [Tilt-Shift photography.](https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/11/beautiful-examples-of-tilt-shift-photography/) Train platform [![](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/7dce7fc0-c9fa-4817-83a1-6d7112aac190/train2.jpg) ](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/7dce7fc0-c9fa-4817-83a1-6d7112aac190/train2.jpg) Tennis match [![](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/087ba760-9509-4c88-9447-9e93647843ed/tennis.jpg) ](https://archive.smashing.media/assets/344dbf88-fdf9-42bb-adb4-46f01eedd629/087ba760-9509-4c88-9447-9e93647843ed/tennis.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2024, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cullman-alabama-water-treatment-plant/1006212/7 "2024-08-26T04:05:13Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The first link almost undoubtedly is of an architectural model. The second link goes to a modern photo of the actual facility, apparently from Google Maps / Street View. The first link is an actual aerial photo from 1983. It certainly is nicely focused. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2024, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cullman-alabama-water-treatment-plant/1006212/8 "2024-08-26T18:09:29Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I would guess that there is a stairwell inside one or both of the support pillars. How about an elevator that goes up between the two pillars? There’s a ladder on the outside of one of the pillars, which could be used for emergencies. There’s a picture on their Facebook page which has more detail, which looks like elevator guide rails. And someone even mentions a glass elevator. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2024, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cullman-alabama-water-treatment-plant/1006212/9 "2024-08-26T18:21:58Z")
I’m still to work out why a water treatment plant (especially one that apparently small) needs a high-altitude control tower. Perhaps to hide the alien spaceship. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2024, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cullman-alabama-water-treatment-plant/1006212/10 "2024-08-26T18:29:14Z")
> [@Die\_Capacitrix](#): > > There’s a picture on their Facebook page which has more detail, which looks like elevator guide rails. And someone even mentions a glass elevator. - Does it have an “Up and Out” button?