FARMVILLE — The 127-foot tall water tank on Andrews Drive will hold one million gallons of water but it may also bear a Longwood Lancer or some other symbol emblematic of the university

And Hampden-Sydney College could get a Tiger paw on the Town’s 250,000-gallon water tank on U.S. 15 South.

The two institutions may even share one or both of the water towers.

Town Council is receptive to considering some appropriate way to honor and literally elevate the level of recognition for the two institutions of higher learning.

Doing so was proffered by town manager Gerald Spates, initially focusing on Longwood.

“Speaking of the tank, I met with (Longwood University president) Taylor Reveley the other day,” Spates told council members, “and we were just talking about some different things and with the new tank, that big tank is very visible, especially if you’re standing over by Longwood University.”

The tank, which will be 75-feet in diameter, will be the largest in the town and is scheduled to come on line next spring.

“You know, it really stands out, and I would like to ask council, we have to paint the tank, it’s in the contract to paint the tank, and I would like to do something with Longwood, their logo or some recognition of Longwood on the tank,” Spates said during council’s December monthly meeting.

“If council doesn’t have any objections, I’ll bring something back to council,” he said. “I think President Reveley would be very interested in participating with us. I think it would be a nice gesture with the university.”

The new water tank will increase water pressure throughout Farmville and allow the Town to fill the water system more quickly, helping also to respond in emergency situations.

Town council member Sally Thompson was enthusiastic.

“I think that’s an excellent idea…I think it works,” she said.

“It’s a very visible tank,” Spates emphasized.

“And it’s good PR,” Thompson said of the proposal.

But council member David E. Whitus, who noted he is a Longwood graduate, cautioned against promoting Longwood without also including Hampden-Sydney.

“I just throw something out to think about: if we’re going to do Longwood, we should think about Hampden-Sydney,” Whitus said.

Responding, Spates offered the water tank on U.S. 15 South as a possible avenue for giving a visual shout-out to H-SC.

“You might want to look at that 15 South tank,” the town manager said.

“We are considered the home of both Longwood and Hampden-Sydney,” Whitus stressed, “and I don’t want to just totally leave one out.”

Of interest, President Reveley’s grandfather, W. Taylor Reveley II, was president of H-SC from 1963 to 1977.