An anonymous donor has come forward and donated $10,000 to the Sylvan Township Water and Sewer Authority to wash the outside and test the internal components of the township’s water tower.

Township Supervisor Bob Lange said Wednesday morning that the donor stopped by his home the day before and handed him a check to pay for the cleaning and maintenance of the structure, which provides water to about 110 of the 1,094 households in the township.

Township residents are looking at a large tax increase to pay for bonds that financed the structure and provided sewer connections that currently service a small number of township residents. The township got into trouble paying for the utilities when the repayment of the bonds was based on a development that has yet to break ground.

Lange said he knew the donation was coming and bids were prepared for the work, which includes power washing the outside of the structure as well as internal testing that will check to be sure the water tower’s internal components are working properly.

Lange said the township has already received two bids at this point and he hopes that the work can be completed in the next 30 days.

This will give the water and sewer authority the ability to do a “drop test,” which he said tests the inside of the tower for mechanical problems, and they’ll be able to perform “other maintenance tasks,” as well.

“This will be a tremendous help and we thank the donor,” Lange said.

Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com. For more Chelsea stories, visit our Chelsea page.