The City of Hollywood, Fla., is home to hundreds of nesting loggerhead sea turtles, and now an award-winning water tank bears the turtles’ likeness.

Protective coatings manufacturer Tnemec chose the 1-million-gallon torospherical-bottom, ovaloid-style welded steel tank as its 2011 Tank of the Year, from among more than 140 candidates.

“It is a very prestigious feeling to be recognized and singled out among the many tank coating projects,” says Taylor Calhoun, plant manager at the Hollywood Water Treatment Plant.

Calhoun and a staff of 29 run the treatment plant, which has a permitted design capacity of 60 mgd and an average daily flow of 21.5 mgd. The plant has 11 million gallons of on-site storage with two 1-million-gallon elevated storage tanks in the distribution network. The plant uses three methods to treat groundwater: reverse osmosis, nanofiltration and conventional lime softening.

Routine maintenance and inspection identified the need to recoat the tank. The design firm of Hunter, Hamersmith & Associates Advertising in North Miami worked with city staff to develop the concept, which was funded by the Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency. “Being a coastal community with environmentally friendly goals and a nesting sea turtle population, this design theme matched our vision,” says Calhoun.

Situated alongside I-95 and illuminated by a new system of lights, the water tank serves as a showpiece. The Hollywood water system has a primary service area of 29 square miles with 720 miles of major distribution pipelines ranging from 2 to 30 inches.

Besides serving the 41,300 connections in its own community, the plant provides 6 mgd to neighboring communities. Dating back to 1925, the distribution system has undergone many upgrades and expansions to stay ahead of regulatory changes and continually meet the needs of its residents and many visitors.

Tnemec also selected four runners-up in the Tank of the Year contest. They include:

• A 1-million-gallon tank in Oak Lawn, Ill., featuring an extensive mural design and logo.

• A 250,000-gallon tank in St. Robert, Mo., designed with tiger stripes in coordination with the Waynesville High School mascot.

• A 350,000-gallon tank in Waunakee, Wis., painted with the village logo, showing a silhouette of cattails and a bird.

• A 250,000-gallon tank in York County, S.C., designed to resemble a baseball (the tank sits near the Charlotte Knights Stadium).

The Tank of the Year contest started in 2006, and Hollywood’s tank was the first legged design to win. Calhoun is proud that his city received the honor, but he takes even more pride in the work of his staff and supporting divisions throughout the city and their constant effort to provide high-quality drinking water every time the tap is turned on.