One of the largest challenges the nation faces is deteriorating infrastructure. Not only is this a result of old age and natural wear and tear, but also from harsh environments that some of our infrastructure have to exist in. The deteriorating effects of these environments can be delayed and protected against simply by applying a coating or lining system. We will briefly discuss some common harsh environments that water and wastewater infrastructure must be able to survive in, and that coatings and lining systems offer the first line of defense in extending and preserving their service life.
We can break the most common environments into atmospheric exposure (effecting both external and internal surfaces), buried in soil, and immersed. There are countless examples within these types of environments that create challenging situations for the service life of infrastructure. We’ll touch on some of the most common examples.
Examples of atmospheric environments effecting the external surface of water and wastewater assets include tanks, pipes, and other structures in marine environments where there is high chloride exposure. A less intense example would be metallic tanks or structures simply reacting to wear and tear of weather. Both of these examples can lead to extensive corrosion over time. Examples for atmospheric environments effecting the internal surface of wastewater assets would be sewer manholes, clarifier and other structures in wastewater treatment plants exposed to high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide gas promotes the growth of sulfuric acid bacteria that can wreak havoc on concrete surfaces. Additionally, there are several chemicals involved in both in water treatment and wastewater treatment plants. The storage and transport of these chemicals cause tank, containment, and piping to deteriorate.
Certain soils have corrosion properties that can eat away the external surface of pipelines or other buried structures. A typical practice for projects involving buried assets is to perform soil testing analysis to understand the properties of the soil.
Structure and pipes that are completely immersed for their service life also experience a unique set of challenges. Pipes passing underwater could promote algae growth, or seawater could create corrosion issues.
An easy solution to combat the effects of all of these different examples is to use a coating or lining system. Of course, there are several types of coatings and lining systems available, and each of them used to protect against specific harsh environments. But once fleshed out and selected, coatings and linings offer the protection needed to alleviate, and in some cases almost completely stop, the deteriorating effects of the harsh conditions that important infrastructure needs to exist in. It is important to always research the available options to protect your assets. Not only can coatings and lining serve as your first line of defense, but often times they end up being your only line of defense.