QUENTIN ROUX / Staff

Standing tall at 140 feet, a well-drilling tower, will work day and night to create a new secondary way to dispose of wastewater, called deep well injection. It’s part of the overall Septic Tank Replacement Program, required by the state environmental agency. The cost – $4.6 million.

Chris Curle/Special to the Eagle

Have you seen this drill rig on Marco? Did you think (or wish) we were drilling for our own oil? No such luck. This drill is creating a deep injection well.

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The next time you return to Marco on the Jolley Bridge you’ll be able to see the island’s newest tall “building.”

It’s imposing, 140’ feet high, lighted up at night and necessary to improve Marco’s wastewater facilities. It’s a well-drilling tower, preparing to work day and night to create a new secondary way to dispose of wastewater, called deep well injection.

It’s a long-planned and previously budgeted part of the overall Septic Tank Replacement Program, required by the state environmental agency. The cost – $4.6 million.

The contractor is Youngquist Brothers Inc., a diversified global firm headquartered in Fort Myers. It’s been involved in drilling wells since 1970.

“You can’t miss the tower,” says Jeri Jurewicz, office manager at Autocraft, the auto body repair place just across Elkcam Circle from the drill tower.

“All of a sudden we looked out the window a couple of weeks ago and it was there. I’ve not heard customers mention it at all. You know there’s a good- natured joke here, about how our customers don’t see anything and that’s why they’re here.” Getting their car collisions repaired, that is.

Soon the drill will be going 24-hours a day. Neighbors will know it because the machine is noisy. And Marco’s Public Works director says the drilling could last 120 days.

The people at Autocraft aren’t particularly worried about that.

“I’ve got guys working on cars on the other side of the wall from me,” Jeri Jurewicz explains. “So if they’re making noise over at the drill, I’m not going to hear it.”

Neither is Jann Brewer, who with husband Bert owns the Marco Fitness Center, a stone’s throw from the drill.

“Nobody had any idea what it was at first,” Jann said. “Some clients thought it might be a cell phone tower. Others thought it was substantial enough to be an oil drilling rig. And somebody surmised it could be a lookout tower for the Coast Guard.”

Jann thinks the noise won’t be much bother to the businesses in the neighborhood.

“We’re in a gym and don’t hear anything outside. The shooting range (Mobile Tactics) is soundproof so they won’t hear a thing. But some residents over on Rose Court might.”

Rony Joel says the noise will be there but it could be worse.

“They have brought in a new design which uses electric motors rather than diesel generators and the electric ones are much quieter. But it will be noisy.”

Why the 24/7 schedule?

“The equipment costs $25,000 a day to rent, that’s the reason,” says Lisa Douglass, Marco’s public information coordinator.

Joel says residents and businesses in the area affected have received or soon will get letters from City Hall with details of the project.

Meantime, it towers over more than most other structures on the island. And as one observer cracked, “Wow, we have a new “nightlight.”