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COATINGSPRO SEPTEMBER 2015 35 Q: Is there a need to change or improve how these coated assets are managed? Can you explain why or why not? A: For some, there is an absolute need for change. Cities that use outside manage- ment groups should also consider having a professional group evaluate their assets and coating systems — much like the larger cities and metropolitan areas do. Some manage- ment groups focus only on keeping the water f low ing. W hile this is important, the asset must be of sound condition to do so. Programs that are in operation for large cities and metropolitan areas should be reviewed regularly to make sure the program is providing the needed services for the sometimes ever-evolving needs of the water storage and transmission system. T he " looking bad " program that some utility districts have should be augmented w ith a program that allows for, at a minimum, a professional ser vices group to evaluate the protec- tive coatings on their storage tanks and provide a report of the evalua- tions to the utility district. T he report should describe the issues as well as the non-issues, and it should have recommendations in it advising the utility district of what should be done to rehabilitate the asset. Programs that have been set up for private water supply companies should be reviewed the same as the ones for the large cities and metropolitan areas to ensure the programs are providing what is needed as the assets change and the system grows with new tanks. Ultimately, though, it's the owner's fnal decision of what is to be done. Q: W hat are the benefts to develop- ing a management program for assets with protective coatings? A: T he big gest benef it is extend- ing the life of the asset — in this case, water tanks and trans- mission system. Bottom line: T he prog ram shou ld manage the protec- tive coating systems so that recoat or overcoat is per for med before damag- ing cor rosion sets in. With an active management program, corrosion and early coating failure may be controlled, hundreds of thousands of dollars in repair, out-of-service, and replacement costs per tank may be saved, and the issues with structural failure may be avoided. With a management Inspector's Corner DeFelsko Corporation • Ogdensburg, NY + 1 ( 315 ) 393-4450 • techsale@defelsko.com New Measures and records environmental conditions Available with either a Built-in or Magnetic Separate probe and 2 models to choose from—Standard or Advanced All models include memory, statistics, USB port Auto Log mode—ideal for unattended operation Browse gage readings and charts using your computer's file explorer or upload to PosiTector.net NEW PosiTector body accepts all PosiTector D PM, SPG and 6000 probes easily converting from a dew point meter to a surface profile gage or coating thickness gage The Measure of Quality Wr i te in Re ad e r In q u ir y #34