KEARNEY, NE — Kearney’s water towers are getting a makeover.

The city is performing cyclical maintenance to the inside and outside of its two main water towers this month. Part of the maintenance includes repainting the exterior. Assistant City Manager Eric Hellriegel says the city opted to use black lettering to make it easy to read and added a crane to mirror the city logo. He says the city will be adding ground-mounted and elevated lighting to the towers.

While the 30th Ave. tower is being painted, the inside is being inspected and disinfected. Hellriegel expects it will be filled next week and put back in full service. Then, crews with Onyx Blasting & Coating will move to the 48th St. tower to repaint it. That tower will also be drained, inspected, disinfected and re-filled.

Hellriegel says the towers haven’t been repainted since the mid-1990s. He expects this design to last about 20 years. The city is paying $386,420 for the exterior work.