Selection and management of coating systems for the interior and/or exterior of a water tank is no easy feat. Owners must consider different factors including cost, lifecycle, and environmental impact when making decisions about coatings.

The process of selecting a coating system and maintenance plan for a steel water tank is often based solely on personal opinions about the proposed system’s value. These opinions can be limited in scope and hard to verify with data. In recent years, the industry has recognized life cycle costing (LCC) as a method of decision-making for owners and engineers to determine the most economical and sustainable solution for their asset in terms of corrosion protection.

AWWA D102-21, Coating Steel Water-Storage Tanks, recommends the aid of an economic review using a life cycle costing analysis (LCCA) to determine the best suited course of action for coating and maintaining a steel welded water tank.

A collection of multiple industry papers and resources, including the recently published paper “Separating Fact from Fiction – AWWA D102 Coating Service Life” provide unbiased historical data on which coating service life and costing can be extrapolated. Using these resources, an accurate life cycle analysis (LCA) can be completed for any water tank asset.
After reading this paper, the reader will have a general understanding of where to locate accurate resources for critical inputs on water tanks, the life cycle costing and environmental analysis process, and how to use a life cycle analysis as a tool for asset management.