How do you obtain water in an environment that lacks springs, streams, or wells and cannot be reached by pipeline? For hundreds of years Anacapa's isolation and arid climate limited human activities on the island.

Today fresh water must be transported to Anacapa by boat. From the Landing Cove it is pumped uphill to this large wooden building resembling a church, which houses two, 55,000- gallon redwood water tanks. The "church" was constructed around the tanks to preserve them from the weather and protect the water supply from contamination. During the early years, a catchment pad located near Pinniped Point collected and fed water to these tanks. The collection basin was abandoned due to roosting seabirds, unreliable rainfall, and the ability to deliver water by vessels.
 

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The Coast Guard reportedly intended this building to hide two large redwood water tanks from potential vandalism, although it really acts to preserve water quality and protect the tanks from rodents and weather. The high, one-story building has tall arched windows, an arched doorway and a circular window in a protruding gable, giving it the look of a church. Unlike the other buildings nearby, it has horizontal board siding, but has a compatible red tile roof, installed around 1980, which was originally asbestos/concrete shingles. At an unknown date, the building was sandblasted, which damaged the wood siding and allows fungus and mildew to build up. The two 50,000-gallon redwood water tanks, built by the George Windeler Company in 1932, are presently in use and in good condition.