Introduction
Why is a maintenance program necessary? The answer is simple: preventive maintenance will always be cheaper than crisis interventions. For example, it is far more cost-effective to identify corroded sections of tank walls or passive and active components and intervene locally, than to rehabilitate the entire surface of the tank and possibly replace the components mentioned above.
All these inspections can be carried out without draining the tanks or removing them from service, by applying modern inspection methods using an ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle).
Otherwise, draining tanks for inspection is extremely costly for water utility operators, for which these tanks generate direct revenue. For owners of fire protection systems, in addition to the costs of draining/refilling and inspection, there are also expenses associated with hiring a fire truck and intervention team for the entire period required to restore the fire-water reserve.
Periodic Inspections:
Initial Assessment is a detailed operation performed to determine the structural and sanitary condition of the tank, its operational safety as well as the condition of protective coatings on both atmospheric and submerged surfaces.
Periodic Assessment: This assessment should be performed at intervals of no more than three years. Its purpose is to monitor the condition of anticorrosive protection and the progression of corrosion issues. This stage also checks whether the use of the tank has complied with the technical documentation and whether operating conditions have affected the structural integrity, sanitary condition or other characteristics since the initial evaluation.
The advantage of such periodic evaluations compared to the Initial Assessment is that the owner can correctly estimate and budget minimal maintenance costs. Cleaning and disinfection operations required by various regulations can also be optimized.
Operator / Owner Assessment: The owner should perform an internal assessment at least once a year. The purpose of this inspection is to identify minor issues that can be corrected by the in-house maintenance team, as well as to detect early any major problems requiring intervention by a specialized team. The benefit of these owner-performed evaluations is the early identification of significant changes that may require professional intervention, such as sealing failures, loss of metal thickness in corroded areas, or deterioration of connection or anchoring elements.
