For centuries, ancestors of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe near Auburn, Washington, have fished area lakes and rivers for salmon, which are the subject of a colorful mural on a potable water storage standpipe protected by an advanced technology coating system from Tnemec. “The tank is located adjacent to the tribe’s ceremonial grounds that are used for large gatherings, which is why the exterior needed repainting,” recalled Scott McConnell of TNW, Inc., in Seattle, Washington.

Exterior steel on the 120-foot-tall standpipe was prepared for overcoating by J & L Co. Northeast, a commercial painting contractor based in Spokane, Washington. The tank received a white base-coat of Series 27 F.C. Typoxy, a polyamide epoxy that offers fast curing and rapid handling capabilities. Series 27 conforms with air pollution regulations limiting volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Series 750 UVX, a hybrid polyurethane that combines low-VOC content with superior color and gloss retention for long-term aesthetics, was used to paint the mural that features the Muckleshoot Tribe logo and swimming salmon. Fishing is an important part of the Muckleshoot culture and a continuing source of income for many tribal members.

The mural was commissioned by Muckleshoot utility district and painted by Rolf & Peter Goetzinger, who have completed more than two dozen water tank murals in California and the Pacific Northwest since the late 1990s. The artists worked from a hydraulic lift using mini-rollers to create the mural, which required nine different colors including Cadet Blue, Issac Blue, Artic Rain and Bahaman. The design required the use of large patterns that were taped to the tank and traced onto the exterior steel, then filled in by the muralists. More than 130 gallons of coatings were required to complete the project.

The standpipe’s original epoxy and polyurethane coating systems from Tnemec stood the test of time, lasting more than 18 years, McConnell noted. The tank still has its original interior coating, Tnemec Series 20 Pota-Pox, which has been the industry standard for potable water epoxy coatings for nearly 30 years. “The original interior coating system was still in good condition after 18 years,” McConnell added.

The Muckleshoot Public Works standpipe was named a finalist in the 2012 Tnemec Tank of the Year competition. The project was selected from more than 200 tanks that were nominated.