Following the withdrawal of AWWA Standard D101, water-storage tank owners and operators were left without published inspection guidance. To address this gap, AWWA published the M42 Steel Water-Storage Tanks Manual in 1998 and revised it in 2013. Since then, industry changes and emerging technologies have underscored the need for a comprehensive update. In 2012, an AWWA subcommittee began developing a new M42 to replace—not just revise—the existing manual and to complement a new D101 Standard for the inspection of steel water tanks and related facilities.

After more than a decade of collaboration among industry experts, the new M42 is now ready for publication.* It expands on prior editions with updated guidance on roof construction for improved corrosion protection, antennas and communication devices, tank security modifications, rescue and retrieval design, and roof and bottom plate replacement.

This presentation will provide an overview of the upcoming manual, demonstrate how it can be applied to improve the design, operation, and maintenance of water-storage facilities, and highlight how it supports the AWWA D101 Standard (2024) to promote consistent, safe, and effective inspection practices.

*As of this writing, M42 is in the balloting stage and anticipated for publication in 2025-2026.