Water Tower Rehabilitation

Water Tower Rehabilitation Project 

    

Why is this project happening? 

The Water Tower Rehabilitation Project will be a continuation of the work that originally began in 2013, which consisted of repairing a leak by welding the outside of the Tower and coating it with epoxy to protect the steel.  During the 2013 project the Tower was taken offline and drained which allowed for a complete inspection to determine the current condition and the resulting necessary work was scheduled to be completed in 2014.

The scope of the project identified for 2014 focused primarily on replacement of the interior lining and safety compliance issues such as exterior ladder, fall prevention systems, hand rails and guard rails. It did include a relatively small amount of exterior coating touch up work. Landmark Municipal Services, through E3 Laboratories Inc., conducted an analysis of the paint on the interior and exterior of the Tower which concluded that both coatings contained lead.  The results of the paint samples, changed the scope of the project to include lead abatement for relining portion of the project. It must be noted that after sandblasting the blast media was tested for lead content and came in under the threshold that would require that it be disposed of as hazardous waste.

The exterior “touch up” work that was included in the 2014 project was clearly identified as a temporary intervention in an effort to slow down the deterioration of the exterior coating. In the approximate 65-year life of the water tower, the exterior has been re-painted several times but has never had any of the previous or original coatings removed.

A water tower rehabilitation project to remove all coating and re-coat the exterior was proposed and approved as part of the 2022 Capital Budget.

In 2021 the scope of this project was determined through conducting a Water Tower Condition Assessment, which outlined the need for the complete removal and replacement of the exterior coating system via abrasive blasting including steel inspection and repairs as required, complete with the installation of a temporary scaffolding and hoarding system on the exterior of the tank.  As well as, necessary life safety upgrades, cable management and temporary relocation of existing antennas and site restoration and return of all systems in full operational condition. 

What are the expected outcomes of this Project? 

The water tower, located at the intersection of Highway 17 and Deep River Road, is a main focal point of the community and the proposed rehabilitation will potentially synchronize the look of the tower with the newly adopted rebranding of the Town.  This Project will complete a long-standing project to provide an increased aesthetic value to the Town as well as protecting the structural integrity of the tower and reducing maintenance costs. 

Furthermore, the Water Tower Rehabilitation Project will utilize proper preventative paint which will prolong the tower’s life with a high-quality paint job, not only keeping the tower looking great but also slowing the adverse affects of the weather, pollutants and other external elements.    

Aside from protecting and beautifying the water tower, the proposed rehabilitation will save on maintenance costs since the scope of the project consists of using special protective coatings to prevent the steel tank from corroding, therefore helping to preserve the structural integrity.   Note; the Tower Assessment in 2021 and specialists in this field have stated that the Town’s water tower is still extremely structurally sound and this rehabilitation will greatly extend the life of the tower. 

Will there be public engagment and communication? 

A public Meeting will not be held for this project but efforts to communicate with residents have been made through social media, news paper notices and written correspondence:  

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