Under the changes introduced in AMP6 water companies now have to present their business plans as the total expenditure required, or ‘totex’. Ofwat expects the focus on totex to encourage more long term decision making in which better customer value will be delivered.
Mark Lemon, Managing Director of CSC Services explains how investing in specialist repairs and coatings can contribute to delivering totex.
A key aspect of the effective delivery of totex is asset management to derive the maximum service from an asset rather than simply procuring and installing products with the lowest price tag. Asset managers will need to start to look at the ‘service life’ of a system, this being the length of time it can be expected to perform before its performance falls below the original design requirements without requiring renovation or replacement.
Investing in specialist repair services and the right coatings can significantly extend the life of an asset, and here at CSC Services we have a range of repair methods and coatings to protect from future damage.
Carbonation
Exposure to the elements over the winter months can cause rapid rates of carbonation in untreated concrete in a variety of structures such as service reservoirs, water towers and storm tanks. Leaks in turn can appear causing steel to rust and expand, which inevitably cracks the concrete encasing it.
Polyurethane based injection resins can be used to halt the flow of water quickly. This, coupled with a repair of the crack and possible waterproofing of the structure with one of our many systems, can prevent future leaks. Epoxy Injection resin can be used as a structural repair to cracks in concrete. This system restores the original strength to the concrete and seals in the reinforcing – preventing further damage from the elements.
Waterproofing to concrete
CSC Services has access to various cementitious coatings designed as a stand-alone coating that will provide waterproofing to internal and external concrete structures. Cementitious coatings can be applied in thicknesses ranging from 1mm giving the equivalent of 100mm of new concrete cover. This aids in helping against water ingress and carbonation which attacks and breaks down concrete and then the steel reinforcing it encapsulates. There are various cementitious coating products which are approved by the DWI for use in potable water retaining structures.
Environmental degradation protection
Epoxy resin coatings out-perform most coatings in terms of resistance to water and other environmental degradation which is why epoxy resin is largely used in aircraft and boat building. This combined with mechanical properties such as high tensile strength, adhesion, abrasion and low shrinkage resistance make epoxy resin coatings a popular choice for the protection of concrete, metals and other substrates.
Rapid return to service
Protecting assets does not always mean lengthy shut downs periods. Use of the latest WRAS approved Polyurea coating for leak sealing can allow rapid return to service due to it’s extremely quick cure time (5-20 seconds). The product can also be applied in sub-zero temperatures unlike many traditional coatings. Polyurea is an excellent choice of coating as it is resistant to most aggressive chemicals, solvents, acids and caustics and has durable abrasion characteristics.
One-stop solution
CSC Services has many years of experience in the cleaning of industrial structures to remove surface silt and dirt or to re profile a surface prior to the application of coatings. To find out more about the repair, coatings and leak sealing solutions visit www.csc-services.co.uk You can request for an experienced member of our team to come out and perform a site inspection to evaluate your repair work and coating needs and give advice on the correct product for the job.
