AU RESERVOIR: SOME RECENT CASE STUDIES OF CORROSION ISSUES IN WATER STORAGE TANKS AND RESERVOIRS

摘要

The five (5) case histories summarised in this paper represent a diverse range of corrosion related issues covering the full spectrum of materials used to construct reservoirs and tanks intended for drinking water use. Whilst the Guam catastrophic reservoir failure is the most dramatic, it also represents an unusual combination of poor design and extraordinary maintenance neglect. The failure was clearly avoidable. Most of the other examples are less extreme and perhaps not so easily foreseeable. The underfloor corrosion issues in Victoria, for example, are perhaps clear only with hindsight, although the potential remediation costs are very high. It is clear, also, that stainless steel is a better choice for roof support than coated aluminium but again perhaps not so easily foreseeable at the time of original design. Both the rainwater tank and desalination vessel examples show that current and future developments in the water industry need some careful thought. The widespread use of urban rainwater tanks supplying non-potable water may introduce a new crop of corrosion issues unless well controlled whilst the materials selection issues with stainless steel in desalination is evident from the final case history. All of the examples provided in this paper show that a holistic approach to corrosion issues in the Water Industry is required. That is, all aspects from design to operation and maintenance must be taken into account in order to find efficient and cost-effective solutions to each individual supply issue.