Geneseo's water tower is in the running for a national title — it's one of 13 Illinois towers nominated for Tnemec's 2026 Tank of the Year contest.

The annual contest, now in its 20th year, honors the most creative and innovative water storage tanks in the country. Public voting is open through Friday, Oct. 16 at tankoftheyear.com, with one vote allowed per email address. The People's Choice winner will be announced Oct. 19 and will join 11 finalists in contention for the overall Tank of the Year, which Tnemec plans to name on Oct. 23. Every nominee will be featured in the company's 2027 water tank calendar.

Illinois has a solid showing this year, though no Illinois tower currently cracks the top three — those spots belong to Staunton, Virginia; Detroit Lakes, Minnesota; and South Haven, Michigan, whose new lighthouse-mural tower is turning heads.

It's a fun bit of hometown pride: the tower on the skyline is one of the most recognizable landmarks in town — and behind it is the system that keeps Geneseo's water flowing.