Ortley Beach's Dolphins Will Keep Swimming on Water Tower

During a time of seemingly constant change in the wake of Superstorm Sandy in devastated Ortley Beach, an impending freshening of the notable water tower was a welcome sight for locals, but many wondered: would a fresh paint job cover up the illustration of the jumping dolphin that has been a symbol of the neighborhood for years?

The answer is no – Ortley Beach's dolphins will live to swim for years to come, representatives for New Jersey American Water, the tower's owner, told Patch.

The dolphins that adorn the company's 500,000 gallon water tank will be "brighter and bluer" after crews paint the outside of the 138-foot tall tower, the company said.

The exterior of the tank was last painted in 1992 while the interior steel structure of the tank was rehabilitated and the inner walls repainted in 2013.

Crews will paint from Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and may work weekends only in the event of inclement weather. Peter Esbach, a company spokesman, said the current schedule calls for the painting to be completed by Memorial Day weekend.

During sandblasting prior to the painting itself, Esbach said an exterior tarp will be placed outside the scaffolding so material will not enter the air or fall to the ground. Vacuums will be used to suck up the old paint as it is blasted off.

"The dolphin template was completed today," said Esbach on Monday night.

While the work proceeds, customers’ water service is not expected to be interrupted, the company said.