Local Artist Redesigns Muscatine Water Tower Representative Of The Iowa Town

The Iowa Finance Authority hosted an “It’s in the Water” contest in 2019 with the grand prize locality winner receiving a custom water tank. The City of Muscatine won the contest, announced at the Iowa State Fair, in late 2019. The Iowa Finance Authority commissioned local artist, Laura Palmer, for the tower’s design. The residents were able to vote on the tank’s included imagery, to which Palmer added her own unique style.


©Tnemec Company, Inc.

Interestingly, the tank’s 1999 design was created by Palmer’s father, to which her new design is the replacement. In an interview with Discover Muscatine, Palmer states, “Once Muscatine was announced as the contest winner, I called my family to share the big news. I felt excited (and a little nervous) to be replacing my Dad’s artwork with my own. His design has been on the tower for as long as I can remember! It’s a pretty special opportunity. I really wanted to make him, and my hometown, proud.”


©Muscatine Power and Water

The representatives at Tnemec Company describe, “The images chosen include the city’s bridge, watermelons, pearl buttons, a steamboat and the “Pearl of the Mississippi” logo. Completed by long-time water tank applicators, the logo was painted on the elevated tank using Tnemec’s fluoropolymer finish, HydroFlon, for long-term color and gloss retention.”

The HydroFlon fluoropolymer finish ensures long-lasting gloss and color retention. This next-generation, high-performance fluoropolymer, contains Lumiflon FEVE technology, which is a main contributor to the coating system’s hyper-durability. Lumiflon FEVE resin provides protection to water tank surfaces, helping to prevent coating degradation at the hands of UV radiation, salt, and water. FEVE-based coatings also offer superior color and gloss retention and anti-corrosion properties that maintain the coating’s structural integrity.

Information courtesy of Tnemec Company, Inc. and Discover Muscatine
photography © Tnemec Company, Inc., David Hotle via Muscatine Journal, Muscatine Power and Water (see below each image)