By Jessica Mathews/News@whmi.com


The water tower in Genoa Township is getting a makeover.

The MHOG Utility Department announced that the Genoa Township MHOG water tower located on the campus of Cleary University will be re-painted. The project will involve the construction of containment around the tower so that contractors can sandblast the tower to bare metal for recoating. Residents will notice the tower going through several color coats as a primer, base coat, and ultimately the glossy finish coat are applied.

Facing Grand River, the tower will have the Genoa Township logo, and facing the athletic fields, the Cleary University logo will be displayed. MHOG worked with the University and Genoa Township to develop an ultimate color scheme that officials say will look more attractive than the current tower color scheme. It is projected that once complete; the improved coating system will provide a 20-year useful life.

The tower functions to provide water volume and pressure to residents and businesses in Genoa Township. To maintain pressure while the tower is off-line for painting maintenance, pumps will be used to maintain current water pressure ranges. To accomplish that, variable frequency drives will allow the pumps to speed up and slow down based on demand to maintain pressure. That way, residents and businesses will continue to receive MHOG water at the pressure to which they are accustomed. Officials say they’re hopeful that residents notice no changes during the maintenance project.

The water tower will be taken offline Wednesday. The project must be finished by June 1st, prior to summer demands.

An artistic rendering is featured. The current water tower is pictured bottom.