Houston County water tank wins national award

Houston County’s patriotic water tower painted this year won a national people’s choice award for Tank of the Year.

The tower, located on Ga. 96 near Houston County High School, came out on top in an online vote that asked people to select the best water tower in the country from among 12 finalists.

The competition is sponsored by the Tnemec Company Inc., which makes paint used on water towers, including the one in Houston County.

A field of 12 finalists was selected from 246 nominees, according to a release. Photos of the finalist towers were placed on the company’s website and viewers were asked to vote. Houston’s was trailing at one point before taking over the lead by the end.

Other water tanks among the top 12 finalists are located in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Champaign, Illinois; Durand, Michigan; Garnavillo, Iowa; Gulf Shores, Alabama; La Porte, Texas; Laurens, South Carolina; Lumberton, North Carolina; Olathe, Kansas; Ontario, California; and York, Nebraska.

Houston’s tank will now be considered for overall Tank of the Year to be voted on by a panel of “water tank enthusiasts,” the release stated. The tank will also be featured in a Tnemec calendar.

The county’s water tanks are painted inside and out every few years for maintenance purposes, but the county paid $56,000 extra for the patriotic design.

Commission Chairman Tommy Stalnaker said it has been well worth it.

“It was done to show the level of patriotism in this community,” Stalnaker said. “We are ecstatic that people thought enough of it to vote for that tank to make it tower of the year.”

He said it has provided an opportunity to explain to many travelers who aren’t from Houston County what “EDIMGIAFAD” means.

Stalnaker said the county is considering doing another unique paint job on a water tower on Ga. 247 near Veterans High School. Stalnaker said that would likely be a different scheme, and it would be done when that tower is next due to be painted. He wasn’t sure when that will be.

Photos of all 12 finalists can be viewed at tankmedia.tnemec.com/.

This story was originally published October 18, 2016 at 1:25 PM with the headline "Houston County water tank wins national award."