Pa. American Water unveils 2018 water storage upgrades
Project includes 16 new or existing tanks, will cost $19.6 million
HERSHEY » Pennsylvania American Water has unveiled its plans to rehabilitate existing and build new water storage structures during 2018. The total cost of the company’s water storage improvements is approximately $19.6 million.
The planned work for 2018, includes building six new structures and the renovation of 10 tanks — including a 200,000-gallon elevated storage tank in West Caln in Chester County.
“Storage tanks are often in remote locations and not visible to customers, but they are critically important to our infrastructure to ensure 24/7 reliability, meet the communities’ water needs, and provide fire protection,” Pennsylvania American Water President Jeffrey L. McIntyre said in a press release. “In addition to constructing more storage to meet local demand, we are prudently investing in preventative maintenance to extend the lifespan of existing tanks, which is more cost-efficient than replacing the structures.”
The Chester County tank is located off of Hill Road, west of Sandy Hill Road in West Caln, according to Terry Maenza, a spokesman for Pennsylvania American Water. The tank was built in 1998, and Maenza added that this is the first rehabilitation and painting of this tank since it was built.
The cost for this specific project is $465,000. The project is planned for the fall, according to Maenza and will take six to eight weeks to complete.
Pennsylvania American Water’s rehab program of inspecting, sandblasting and repainting tanks extends their service life
and protects water quality, while the new tank construction will provide increased storage capacity to meet customer demand and improve fire protection, according to the company.
“By inspecting the tanks, crews will find seals and joints that need repair. All fixes are made and rehab work is done to keep the tanks structurally sound. Crews strip the original paint and apply a new coating to serve as a protective barrier that prevents the steel from rusting and compromising water quality,” Maenza said. He added that the repainting and rehabilitation work normally lasts about 20 years.
According to Maenza, the company’s engineering department analyzes the age and condition of existing water tanks and then prioritizes the list of projects where capital investments should be made. New tanks are built where customer demand and trend
data indicate more storage is needed
The company does not expect customers to experience service interruptions during construction. The projects include mitigation procedures to ensure that paint fumes and dust levels are in compliance with air pollution control requirements mandated by local health departments and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, according to the release.
Pennsylvania American Water will invest a combined total of nearly $6.6 million to rehabilitate and repaint existing tanks in the following municipalities:
Jefferson Hills, Allegheny County; California, Washington County; Union Twp., Washington County; Saxonburg, Butler County; Conewago, Warren County; Sugar Notch, Luzerne County; Plains, Luzerne County; Wright, Luzerne County, Silver Spring, Cumberland County; and West Caln, Chester County .
In addition, the company will build new tanks in the following communities:
Canton, Washington County; Fallowfield, Washington County; Lincoln, Allegheny County; White Twp., Indiana County; Shenango, Lawrence County; and Dunmore, Lackawanna County.
According to McIntyre, the company invested nearly $8.5 million in 2017 to rehabilitate 10 storage tanks and build four new storage structures. Pennsylvania American Water owns and maintains more than 250 water storage facilities across the state.
Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.4 million people. For more information, visit amwater.com.
The company provides service to approximately 670,000 customers in 36 counties across Pennsylvania including portions of Montgomery, Chester and Berks counties.