Condition Assessment and Asset Management of Water Storage Tanks

Asset management within the water industry is a significant challenge as the balance of asset condition, available budget for maintenance and required service life is never the same for any two assets. Potable water storage tanks in particular are critical assets, which in many cases cannot be easily taken out of service for remediation or replacement. Compounding this difficulty is the multitude of different types of tank construction that may be present in an asset owner’s portfolio.

Developing a sound understanding of the deterioration mechanisms affecting a structure is often considered the key to economic extension of service life, but once the deterioration is understood there are further steps in the process of identifying and implementing possible solutions to provide the asset service life required.

This case study draws on the author’s observations of over 50 water storage tanks across Victoria, primarily of various steel and reinforced concrete construction types. Common deterioration mechanisms are identified, as are some of the remediation options. Analysis tools used for identification of technically and economically suitable options are also discussed.