The Pennsylvania-American Water Company has started a $485,000 rehabilitation of the second of its water storage tanks off Black Rock Road in Upper Providence near Oaks, writes Donna Rovins for The Pottstown Mercury.

The project to inspect, sand-blast, and finally repaint the 1.5 million-gallon tank began two weeks ago, when contractors started bringing in equipment, with site preparation already completed last week.

To prolong the lifespan of the water storage unit, which was last painted 15 years ago, the original paint will be stripped before a new coating is added. This will renew the protective barrier, preventing any water contamination from rust.

“Storage tanks are a critical part of our water infrastructure that ensure adequate, reliable water supplies for our communities, in addition to providing fire protection,” said Edward Baetzel, Pennsylvania-American Water Senior Supervisor.

He added that rehabilitation projects such as this one prolong a tank’s lifespan and are more cost-effective than replacing the structures.

According to Baetzel, normal operations will continue during the work, with no water service disruptions expected for local customers.

Read more about the rehabilitation in The Pottstown Mercury by clicking here.