A water storage tank can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to construct, and, although it is initially expensive, it is — over the life of the structure — the most cost-effective means of keeping drinking water clean, safe and in adequate supply, and providing the critical storage necessary to meet everything from peak use period capacity to firefighting capability. For that reason, compliance with Federal and State regulations and AWWA recommendations are an essential obligation, and recommend that tanks need to be thoroughly cleaned and inspected every three to five years.

Sediment accumulation occurs within the tank since conditions in the tank promote particle settling. The storage tanks vulnerability to contamination increases dramatically when holes or breaches in the tank allow animals, birds, and insects and their respective diseases to enter. These situations have a great potential to cause waterborne disease outbreaks such as those in Alamosa, Colo., and Gideon, Mo.

The City of Torrington contracts with a specialized tank engineer/diving contractor who inspects

and cleans the water storage tanks at least every five years. The comprehensive water tank

inspection, based on regulatory guidelines and regulations, provides the City with a detailed

report and complete analysis to keep the condition of our tanks to the highest standards. A water storage tank system has many different subsystems and components and a recent inspection of the storage tanks determined that these components were overall in good condition.

With regular evaluation and maintenance of the water tanks, we can ensure that they are viable

water distribution components to perform beyond their designed life
expectancy.