Will Atkins
Project Engineer of Tank Industry Consultants
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Will Atkins is a graduate of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology earning a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He joined Tank Industry Consultants as a project engineer, preparing engineering reports for the rehabilitation of water storage tanks. Will has written nearly 50 technical reports addressing the condition of water storage tanks. These reports included recommendations for safety, sanitary, and aesthetic improvements to meet applicable industry standards. Will is familiar with OSHA regulations, American Water Works Association standards, and individual state regulations concerning water storage tanks.
AWWA Standards and Manuals Supporting Water Storage Tank Inspection and Cleaning
History: Water-storage tank owners and operators are aware of the need to properly maintain these critical components of their water system and have looked to the American Water Works Association (AWWA) for guidance on inspection and cleaning of tanks. The first AWWA tank inspection standard was AWWA D101-53, Standard for Inspecting and Repairing Steel Water Tanks, Standpipes, Reservoirs, and Elevated Tanks, for Water Storage. In 1998, AWWA Manual M42, Steel Water-Storage Tanks, was published as a guidance document. The handbook Steel Water Storage Tanks: Design, Construction, Maintenance, and Repair was published in 2010 by McGraw Hill in conjunction with AWWA.
Inspection Recommendations: AWWA recommendations, call for water-storage tanks to be professionally inspected at intervals not more than every 5 years.
Cleaning: Prior to conducting a field evaluation, it is recommended that the sediment be removed from the tank.
Inspections: The dry evaluation is the most thorough evaluation since all the tank surfaces are visible. Underwater evaluations of tank interiors are an alternative when tanks cannot be drained.
New AWWA D101: Practices and technology have evolved since the standard was published in 1953. The new standard doesn’t just apply to water-storage tanks, but also to related structures such as Aldrich units, clarifiers, clearwells, filter beds, and hydropneumatic tanks along with more traditional styles of tanks including bolted and welded steel structures.
Infrastructure Asset Management
With today's emphasis on infrastructure management, the need for a method to rate and prioritize water storage tank maintenance requirements has become increasingly evident. To aid in managing these critical components of a water system, a computerized management tool for comparing the relative overall condition of tanks within the same water system simplifies long-term maintenance prioritization, forecasting the estimated cost and optimal scheduling of tank maintenance. This presentation will guide all water professionals through a proven approach to managing their tank assets. Owner-Performed Proactive Maintenance: Geared to Owner's personnel who are charged with the day-to-day monitoring and maintenance of the water storage tanks, this portion of the presentation will discuss what to look for, how to monitor the condition and pinpoint warning signs of the need for more extensive evaluation. Professional Pre-Maintenance Inspection: It's no secret that investor-owned and municipal utilities are having to cut costs across the board. This portion of the presentation will demonstrate why a pre-maintenance inspection is vital to a successful tank rehabilitation project and will acquaint attendees with various methods of evaluating tanks, frequency for tank inspections, and key components of a professional tank inspection. Maintenance Management Prioritization System for Water Storage Tanks: This segment of the presentation will introduce attendees to a computerized maintenance prioritization system that ranks based on various criteria and assists Tank Owners with proactive management of tanks within their system. The system allows the Owner to base maintenance schedules on multiple considerations. Reactions of Tank Owners who have utilized this system for many years will be presented. Their insight into the system's value to their asset management program will be offered. Tank Rehabilitation: Thorough detailed project specifications and bid documents are essential to any tank rehabilitation project. Specifications that just address the tank coatings environmental concerns, or needed repairs will result in a poorly executed project. Properly developed specifications represent a holistic approach to the rehabilitation project and when designed by an engineer familiar with water storage tanks result in a quality, smooth-running project. The quality of the painting contractor's workmanship is by far the biggest factor affecting the quality of the application and the coatings adhesion to the substrate. Yet, the tendency among most storage tank owners is to think of tank painting as they would painting their dining room or living room...hire the lowest priced contractor and trust they will do a good job. They minimize the cost of inspection, trust the contractor to be fair and do a good job, then hope for the best. This section of the presentation will discuss the important aspects of tank rehabilitation specifications and inspection techniques and expertise required to achieve a long-lasting tank rehabilitation project. Future of Tank Asset Management...Where do we go from here? To round out the presentation, the presenter will offer his insight into what new developments in regulatory requirements, standards, and technology will likely shape future tank maintenance, propelling Tank Owners into future Asset Management.
Cellular Antenna Installations on Water Storage Tanks
Water storage tank owners have a viable source of revenue available to them and potential new headaches--the installation of antennas on their tanks. Wireless communications companies, faced with increased land costs, are vying for space on elevated structures from water tanks to church steeples. Wireless communications companies will compensate tank owners for the privilege of renting space on water towers and often there are more than one company’s antenna equipment mounted on a water tank. If the antenna support structure is not properly designed and installed, the operation, maintenance, and possibly structural integrity of the water tank itself can be jeopardized.
What types of maintenance problems do tank owners with antenna installations face? Are there solutions to these problems? What role does advanced planning play in the maintainability of the water tank after the antennas are installed?
This presentation will alert tank owners and operators to the potential risks and benefits of cellular antenna installation. It will provide a practical checklist of important considerations. Real life examples of various types of installations--the good, the bad, and the ugly--will be featured during this presentation. Solutions to typical problems will be discussed, and the importance of pre-planning will be emphasized.
Allowing cellular antennas to be mounted on your water tower can be a win-win situation, providing the installation is properly planned and executed.
Will Atkins
Project Engineer of Tank Industry Consultants
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