Council approves $3,500 change order for Rockville water tower paint scheme

The Rockville City Council voted unanimously to approve a $3,500 change order to alter the paint scheme of the town’s water tower, a councilmember announced after public notice and staff outreach.

A staff member told the council the water tower has been drained and the system is temporarily running on the pressure tank. The staff update said three pressure-relief valves have been installed in the system, staff discovered a leak recently and recorded higher-than-normal water usage over the last couple of days, and crews have begun work on the tower. “The water tower has been drained; we’re running on the pressure tank right now,” the staff member said during the briefing.

The change being considered would swap the current white-and-blue pattern for deeper blue on the top and bottom of the tank, a white band where the logo sits and blue lettering spelling “Rockville.” Staff said a darker color at the bottom of the bowl will hide mold, mildew and dirt better and give the tank a “sharper” appearance. The alternate scheme carries an additional contract cost of $3,500, which the council voted to approve as a change order.

One councilmember said he would have preferred more time to consider the aesthetic change but would vote in the spirit of cooperation; another councilmember seconded the motion before the vote. After calling for public comment and noting staff outreach (packet notices and banners distributed to nearby homes), the mayor called the question and the motion passed unanimously.

Council members asked staff to remind residents served by the affected system to reduce outdoor watering while the tower is offline. Staff estimated the outage at approximately one month (speakers also referenced “six weeks” as an alternative timeframe). The council also discussed temporary on-site security while work is underway; staff said the contractor will allow a temporary on-site camper to deter theft and vandalism.

Council members emphasized that some hydrants are fitted with pressure-relief valves and may discharge water periodically as an intended function of the system; the council warned residents not to tamper with those hydrants.

The council’s approval implements the contractor’s alternate paint pattern and authorizes staff to issue the associated change order; the packet and staff outreach materials were noted as having been provided to nearby residents. No ordinance or statute was cited in the discussion; the action recorded in the transcript is a council-approved change order for the painting contract.