Elevated Storage Tank Inspections Protect Arlington's Water Quality and Reliability
By Traci Peterson, Arlington Water Utilities
Posted on June 16, 2022, June 16, 2022

Elevated Water Storage Tank

Arlington Water Utilities recently began a series of interior and exterior water tower inspections that are part of the department’s ongoing efforts to keep The American Dream City’s water supply safe and dependable.

Arlington has 10 elevated storage tanks, or water towers, located throughout the city, with capacities from 1 million to 2.5 million gallons each. The tanks allow Arlington Water to maintain consistent water pressure throughout the city during peaks in water demand and provide backup water supplies during fires and other emergencies. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requires that public water systems complete yearly inspections of elevated water storage tanks, and inspections of the interior tank surface every five years.

 Earlier this year, the Arlington City Council approved a $114,588 contract with Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc. for the five-year interior and exterior evaluations of Arlington’s Harwell, Matlock, Grace Howell, and Southeast Elevated Storage Tanks (ESTs) in the Arlington water distribution system. Arlington Water maintenance technicians and engineers conduct the annual inspections.

 As part of their work, engineers from Kimley-Horn perform a visual, onsite condition assessment of each tank site. According to the contract, assessment elements also specifically include:

  • Overall condition of the interior and exterior coating systems for the tanks.
  •  Overall condition and extent of interior corrosion.
  •  Adhesion testing of the tank roof exterior coatings.
  •  Collection of paint samples from each tank exterior and one paint sample from each tank interior and perform heavy metal testing for total Lead, Cadmium and Chromium.
  •  Perform ultrasonic thickness testing of the tank access tubes, roofs, shells and dome floors/walls.
  •  Perform evaluation for OSHA, TCEQ and AWWA compliance.
  •  Identify other miscellaneous mechanical, electrical, instrumentation/controls, security, or site concerns identified during the evaluation and complete any identified interior cleaning.

 Kimley Horn inspected the Grace Howell tank, which is located at 250 Pee Wee St. in East Arlington, in May. The following tanks will be inspected this fall: Harwell Elevated Storage Tank, 1609 Harwell Drive; Matlock Elevated Storage Tank, 6901 Matlock Road.; and Southeast Elevated Storage Tank, 2001 Wynn Terrace. Arlington’s Tierra Verde and Southwest Elevated Storage Tanks are up for five-year inspections after the current contract is complete.

For more information about Arlington’s water quality, please visit the 2021 Water Quality Report posted online in May at ArlingtonTX.gov/waterccr.

Elevated Water Storage Tank

 

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