Pa. American Water unveils 2018 water storage upgrades

Project includes 16 new or existing tanks, will cost $19.6 million

HERSHEY » Pennsylvania American Water has unveiled its plans to rehabilitate existing and build new water storage structures during 2018. The total cost of the company’s water storage improvements is approximately $19.6 million.

The planned work for 2018, includes building six new structures and the renovation of 10 tanks — including a 200,000-gallon elevated storage tank in West Caln in Chester County.

“Storage tanks are often in remote locations and not visible to customers, but they are critically important to our infrastructure to ensure 24/7 reliability, meet the communities’ water needs, and provide fire protection,” Pennsylvania American Water President Jeffrey L. McIntyre said in a press release. “In addition to constructing more storage to meet local demand, we are prudently investing in preventative maintenance to extend the lifespan of existing tanks, which is more cost-efficient than replacing the structures.”

The Chester County tank is located off of Hill Road, west of Sandy Hill Road in West Caln, according to Terry Maenza, a spokesman for Pennsylvania American Water. The tank was built in 1998, and Maenza added that this is the first rehabilitation and painting of this tank since it was built.

The cost for this specific project is $465,000. The project is planned for the fall, according to Maenza and will take six to eight weeks to complete.

Pennsylvania American Water’s rehab program of inspecting, sandblasting and repainting tanks extends their service life

SUBMITTED PHOTO Pennsylvania American Water has unveiled its plans to build six new water storage tanks and rehabilitate 10 existing tanks during 2018. One of the tanks scheduled to be renovated is a 200,000-gallon tank in West Caln, Chester County. The West Caln tank...