One of two water towers in the commune of Ribérac in Dordogne, France, has been completely renovated and painted sky blue as preparation for an upcoming large-scale mural project designed to help the structure blend into the surrounding landscape. The bright blue tower, standing several dozen meters tall on the heights of Ribérac, can now be spotted from great distances and has become a distinctive landmark just a few hundred meters from the Arnaut Daniel school complex.
The decision to paint the tower blue was made in collaboration with the mayor's office, despite initial plans calling for a stone-colored finish. "When we launched the call for bids, it was supposed to be stone-colored, and we finally chose this color in agreement with the city hall," explained Guy Dupuy, president of the Territorial Commission of the Ribérac Basin, which manages the drinking water supply. The water tower has undergone both interior and exterior renovations and is now preparing to receive a giant mural.
Local residents have already taken notice of the tower's new appearance. "I find that since we repainted it, people notice it, and it will be in harmony with the rest of the landscape. This little mural will nicely embellish the building," Dupuy acknowledged. The artistic project was approved in the department's participatory budget in 2023, but necessary maintenance work had to be completed before the beautification could begin. In July, waterproofing was redone both inside and outside the 53-year-old structure.
The tower continues to serve a vital function for the community, supplying nearly 1,000 subscribers in the Ribérac area and storing 500 cubic meters of water in its dome. "If we didn't have a reservoir like this one, we would be forced to push water through the pipes to subscribers, and therefore permanently consume electricity for the pumps. It's naturally that water reaches subscribers thanks to gravity," explained Damien Desvergne from Sogedo, the water management company.
The water tower system also provides crucial backup capabilities during emergencies, allowing continued water supply to residents in case of problems through its storage capacity and gravity-fed distribution. "It has an autonomy of about two days," Desvergne detailed. "In case of a storm and power outage, we could still supply subscribers for two days." The structure is now awaiting its new decorative treatment, which is scheduled to be completed in 2026.
