[This post has been UPDATED as of 4/24/26 per new information from WSSC.]
The iconic Montgomery Hills water storage tank on Seminary Place is getting a new look, and consistent with its mission to support placemaking in the Montgomery Hills area, Friends of Montgomery Hills encourages all Montgomery Hills neighbors and businesses to weigh in.
Built in 1968, the water tank (also known as a standpipe) is 130′ tall, holds 7.5 million gallons of water, and was last painted in the 1980s. WSSC is preparing to repaint the water tank soon, and wants your help in deciding how it will look. The repainting is part of much larger WSSC rehabilitation project for the standpipe, which will involve structural repairs, replacement of associated service and overflow piping, valves, vaults, and other appurtenances, as well as site work, grading, access road upgrade, electrical, instrumentation, and maintaining access for communication service providers. Work will get started this summer and will take approximately 18 months.
After getting feedback on its four preliminary paint scheme options during the Montgomery Hills Street Fest, WSSC will be sponsoring a community meeting in early June to get further feedback on designs. Regardless of what colors it is painted, the words “Montgomery Hills” will appear on the repainted tank. FOMH are strong supporters of this, because putting the area’s name on the water tank will help establish a sense of place and complement the Georgia Avenue road improvements coming to the corridor.
The selected design will be revealed at a future WSSC outreach meeting, along with other details about the repainting project. Share this with your neighbors!
I am very disappointed in all of these choices, and I can’t believe that I am the only resident that feels this way! What’s wrong with simply repainting it close to the almost-invisible color it is now, which sort of melts into the sky?? WHY do we need to have our lovely neighborhood indicated in this way? Is the plan to have this visible to people on 495? What is the point? I think this is a terrible idea and I dearly hope you all will reconsider!
I totally agree Laurie. Let it blend in and not be an eyesore.