MCFARLAND, Wis. – On May 28, as part of ongoing work at the Holscher Road water tower, a contractor noted that power washing along the inside of the tank had caused paint to chip off from the interior wall. While there were not signs of delamination before the power washing, the chipping does indicate a paint surface that needs to be repaired or replaced.
The Village is seeking to remediate the issue by sandblasting the interior of the tower, then repainting and recoating the wall. The surface was last painted in 2000, when the water tower went into service, and is inspected every five years.
The work would require the McFarland Village Board to approve a proposed change order from the contractor currently painting the exterior of the tower, with an estimated cost of $171,480. A special meeting of the Board is scheduled for Monday, June 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the McFarland Municipal Center to consider the proposal. If approved, remediation work could begin as early as Tuesday, June 2.
Repainting would not impact the Village’s new water rates that were approved in May 2026 by the Public Service Commission. The project is funded through the State of Wisconsin’s Safe Drinking Water loan program which lends money at low interest rates to municipalities to fund these types of improvements. The McFarland Water Utility will pay back the loan through the rates that have already been approved.
There is no risk to McFarland’s water quality or safety, as the paint chipping occurred during maintenance work while the tower was drained and not in use. During the last required inspection of the tower in 2022, there was no damage noted on the coating of the interior wall. Additionally, standard screen filters are located in the water system at meters and taps, acting to block sedimentary particles.
Check for updates on the Holscher Road water tower work at mcfarland.wi.us/HolscherRoadWaterTower.
