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TEAM
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WATER TANK INSPECTION REQUIREMENT PROPOSED BY FDEP Have you seen the inside of your water
tank lately? You should be looking
at it very closely on a regular basis. The
inspections should focus on: 1. Structural Condition 2. Coating Condition 3. Sanitary Issues 4.
Safety Issues Many tanks have gone far too long
without being inspected and are now requiring large repair costs that could have
been prevented had the problems been found earlier.
The phrase "out of sight, out of mind" applies here. When a tank is 100+ feet in the air, nobody thinks about
looking inside. Ground storage
tanks, both steel and concrete, also get the same treatment. This attitude has grown to a point now that the government is
stepping into the picture. According
to our sources, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is proposing
an amendment to Florida Administrative Code 62-555 which will include a
requirement to inspect potable water tanks on a regular basis.
A draft copy of the verbiage reads as follows: "Finished drinking water
storage tanks, including conventional hydropneumatic tanks with an access
manhole but excluding bladder- or diaphragm-type hydropneumatic tanks without an
access manhole, shall be checked at least annually to ensure that hatches are
closed and screens are in place; shall be thoroughly cleaned inside at least
once every five years; and shall be thoroughly inspected for structural and
coating integrity at least once every five years by personnel under the
responsible charge of a professional engineer licensed in Florida." The amendment is expected to go into effect around the middle of 2003. Though some tank owners may balk at the idea of a required inspection, this ruling will basically force tank owners to perform proper maintenance which should have been taking place already. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) Standard Manual M42, Appendix "C" has always recommended an inspection be performed at least every five years. These inspections are recommended to be performed under the supervision of a Registered Professional Engineer. Now these same recommendations are being incorporated into the FDEP Rule. TEAM Consultants has been providing these services to tank owners all over the Southeast since 1983. Give us a call and let us help you get a jump on the law. |
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