After careful planning and approved funding, the elevated water tank near Rolling Green Drive has been repainted with the addition of text reading “Lakeway” visible from both directions on Lohmans Crossing Road as well as from the top of the hill upon entry to Lakeway via Lakeway Boulevard.
Industrial painting projects take careful planning and require significant funding. The repainting of Elevated Water Tower #2 was no exception. As with all of Lakeway MUD (LMUD) facilities, we take great pride in the appearance of the elevated water towers we maintain because we know they can be an aesthetically significant part of the community (such as the golf ball water tower that we maintain at the entrance to Lakeway). Regular maintenance, including repainting, also helps us extend the life of the tank ensuring it provides a safe, reliable location to store potable water for many years to come.
The paint used to coat these elevated water towers, on average, breaks down after about 20 years, so we had it in our budget to repaint it this year. Previously, we had “Lakeway” written on just one side of the tower, but it was while talking with some Lakeway residents that we learned many people would like to see “Lakeway” written on both sides for greater visibility from more areas around Lakeway. We decided to move forward with this suggestion as it made sense to us and would add value to our community.
The project began on March 7, 2019. The crews, safely harnessed, were lifted 100 feet into the air using an electric painter’s carriage, first pressure washing, degreasing, and bleaching the tower before applying a primer coat that would contain any existing rust. While the crew worked on the outside, the tank was drained to a required minimum level, so we took the opportunity to also assess the inside of the tank and repaint as needed simultaneously.
Due to this time discrepancy, curing took place much sooner on the lower portion of the tank compared to the top, causing a distinct mismatch in paint between the two application timeframes.
We use a Tnemec protective coating, popular across the country for this type of project, which is a two-part epoxy 
paint with UV protection and superior corrosion resistance. The unusually wet weather slowed progress, causing the top portion of the tank to be completed one month after the lower part of the tank. Due to this time discrepancy, curing took place much sooner on the lower portion of the tank compared to the top, causing a distinct mismatch in paint between the two application timeframes. The contractor has agreed to repaint the exterior tank, but not until fall since we are in peak usage season and cannot drain the tank until then. We have kept a retainer and in the fall we will work with the painter to remedy the mismatch.
