Nesquehoning’s water tank will soon get a much-needed paint job.

This week, the borough water authority discussed the project, which included two options — spend upward of $1 million to construct another water tank next to the existing 500,000-gallon tank and repaint the current one, or forgo the addition and just repaint the tank at a cost of about $100,000 but possibly put a squeeze on fire protection while the tank is out of service.

The water tanks must be sandblasted and repainted about every 20 years to maintain the tank’s integrity.

After much discussion between the authority members and three borough fire chiefs, the group agreed that the borough could be adequately protected in the event of a fire if the tank is taken offline and repainted as long as preparations are put in place ahead of time. The borough is supplied by two water tanks — a 350,000-gallon tank in Hauto and the one in question.

The action means that during the time the 500,000-gallon tank is offline, the borough will be fed by the Hauto tank.

The job, Ron Tirpak of Carbon Engineering said, should take about 60 days to complete and to guarantee that the borough could write in heavier liquidated damages on the project in the event the company that is hired doesn’t meet that goal.

“It would help guarantee the project gets done quicker,” he said.

The project includes draining the tank, sandblasting both the inside and outside, repainting it and allowing it to cure before it can be refilled.

During that time, the borough would place a ban on nonessential use of water, such as watering a garden and washing vehicles.

John McArdle, Nesquehoning Hose Company fire chief, said that as long as the fire companies are aware of the situation they can plan accordingly, which would mean utilizing tanker trucks in the event of a fire, as well as dry hydrants and hooking up to the hydrant system only until tankers set up an adequate water supply to fight a fire.

Tirpak will now begin writing the specs and preparing the permits for the project.

He anticipates the work to be done either this summer or next year, permit pending.

In other matters, the water authority discussed water pipes that were rotting out quicker than they should.

Secretary Richard Creitz pointed to a section of rotted-out pipe that was sitting on the floor of the meeting room.

He said that the borough is seeing a lot of this with some of its pipe lately, with the bottom portion being rotted out. The pipe in question has only been in the ground for about 25 years.

“We have pipes in the ground that are 100 years old and then we have these that have only been in about 25 years,” he said. “These pipes should last longer.”

He questioned if it was the use of 2B stone, which could be damaging the coating of the pipe, allowing the water to penetrate and damage it quicker.

“Our water lines are going to be like soaker hoses,” he said. “That coating should hold up.”

Robert Stempa, vice chairman, said that the water authority is seeing it more often with the new pipes, but couldn’t offer any further reasons as to why it is happening.

Tirpak said that there are things like sleeves that can be put around the pipes before they are installed in the ground.