The company repainted the structure under approximately $550,000 project, to provide a protective barrier and prevent the steel from rusting and compromising water quality
Image: Pennsylvania American Water completes $575,000 Punxsutawney water storage tank facelift. Photo: Courtesy of Afonso Lima from FreeImages.
Pennsylvania American Water officials hosted state and local officials and the “Seer of Seers,” Punxsutawney Phil, to mark the completion of rehabilitation of the Punxsutawney Area Hospital water storage tank.
The company repainted the approximately $550,000 project structure to provide a protective barrier and prevent the steel from rusting and compromising water quality.
“We are pleased to commemorate the completion of upgrades to this vital part of our local system with Punxsutawney Phil,” said Pennsylvania American Water President Mike Doran. “His image freshly adorns a rehabilitated structure that will ensure that adequate, reliable water pressure and emergency water supplies for fire protection are always available for the community.” The rehabilitation project started in August and involved inspecting, sandblasting and repainting the tank. Crews stripped the original paint and applied a new coating on the ground storage structure located adjacent to the Punxsutawney Area Hospital.
The tank was built in 1978 and was last repainted in 1994.Doran added, “The rehabilitation of this tank marks the completion of a three-phase, $2.2 million investment, that also included the construction of a new pump station and the installation of 3,200 feet of new water main here in Punxsutawney. We also took this opportunity to improve the safety of this infrastructure.”
A primary focus of this project was making safety, sanitary and structural improvements including electrical upgrades to the interior of the tank a nd the addition of new safe-climb devices on all ladders. The tank is expected to be put back into operation this fall and there will be no disruptions to service for our local customers.
Source: Company Press Release