FRANKFORT, Ind. – The 500,000-gallon elevated water tank located off of State Road 28 and Interstate 65 is approaching the painting phase of the project and should be completed prior to the winter season.
As previously reported, the contractor for the project, Maquire Iron, had asked the Clinton County commissioners for a project extension to December 31 of this year with the agreement the tower would be painted prior to weather turning cold. The County is funding the project build with Frankfort Utility Services providing day-to-day operation upon project completion.
At the conclusion of the Frankfort Utility Service Board (USB) meeting on Monday (September 19), Kent Brewer, chairman of the Frankfort USB was asked about the status of painting of the constructed tank and whether or not painting completion will meet the deadline.
“Yes, depending on the weather,” said Brewer. “If we continue to have weather like this, they say that it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Much of the prep-work was done while the tank was being constructed while still on the ground.
“From my understanding, the tank’s primed. It was sand blasted and primed while it was on the ground and then they done some x-ray machines and they had one little area that they had to address the welds and then they’d have to re-prime that.”
Once those areas are addressed, Brewer expects a protective tent to go up for the painting process.
“My speculation would be that they would be putting a tent up and over it, like we did ours out here on the west edge of Frankfort and get started on paint.”
In terms of when the tank would be filled and come online is still being discussed.
“I really don’t know how much more works left before it would be water ready.”
