By Alyssa Esposito

Staff Writer

North Suffolk motorists may have noticed some activity around the local water tower. That means the water tower is getting a fresh coat of paint to help it last longer.

“A good painting program is essential to the protection of an asset that has a value of approximately $3 million in today’s dollars,” city spokeswoman Diana Klink said.

The endeavor costs $630,000 dollars and takes approximately three to four months to complete. It has been going on for about four weeks already.

But taking on this task requires more than just a lot of time and money. It also involves an eight-person painting team and 1,200 gallons of paint.

Water towers have an average life span of 75 years, Klink said. However, the lifespan can vary based on the level of maintenance put into it. Due to a number of environmental factors such as weather, towers undergo wear and tear.

“Typically a tank would be painted inside and outside every 15 to 20 years,” Klink said.

The tower is being painted blue, matching the color of the tank located on Main Street.