Water is our planet’s most precious substance. Every living being on the planet relies on unsullied water to drink, bringing great responsibility to those tasked with potable water supply.
Water Infrastructure: The Challenges
In Australia, strict standards exist to ensure that drinking water remains of an acceptable standard. Assets, such as pumps, valves, pipes and fittings, are typically used 24/7 and often in field-based locations. Ensuring their longevity is crucial, yet this comes with many challenges.
Issues, including damage from abrasion, erosion, corrosion or impacts, can be problematic to treat without dismantling and removing back to a location where a shop application can occur. However, the practicalities of doing so, plus the all-too-common scenario of extended lead times, often make this an almost unworkable solution.
The way around this is to carry out repairs and routine maintenance in the field. However, historically this has been fraught with problems. The lack of an easy to apply solution that meets all legal requirements for potable water assets has led to a culture of water waste via leaks. Not only this is expensive (and, as water becomes an ever more precious asset, morally unacceptable), it also presents a risk to the quality of the water and the lifespan of the asset itself.
The Solution: ARC Industrial Coatings
Both emergency repairs and proactive field maintenance can, at last, be effectively carried out with the use of technologically advanced ARC industrial coatings.
Engineered to be simple to use and strictly complying with NSF 61 standards, potable water asset damage can now be easily addressed in situ. Cracks and holes, which are one of the biggest causes of leaks within the industrial water industry, can effectively be treated with ARC 5ES, an NSF 61 certified epoxy putty repair product that’s simple to apply in the field.
The compound has been designed to:
- Effectively and easily patch and seal leaks up to 3mm in diameter
- Be easy to apply – simply knead the putty together and press it onto the surface
- Will cure underwater and on damp or wet surfaces
- Meets the strict requirements of NSF 61 for cold water service
ARC 5ES is suitable for emergency repairs from damage caused by:
- Erosion and corrosion
- Abrasion
- Impact
- Worn areas
- To fill holes and cracks
- And to provide an abrasion-resistant surface
The advantages of ARC coatings are not limited to emergency repairs. Other coatings, such as the ARC S1PW, is a reinforced thin film coating that effectively protects structures against chemical attack, corrosion and erosion. Not only it be used when factory coatings need to be replaced, but it can be used proactively to extend the lifespan of assets.
One advantage of ARC coatings is how easy they are to apply. This can be with a brush, roller or spray. They can be used both internally and externally to potable water-grade assets and can be applied in the field, saving time and expense of shipping off-site for repair.
These 100% solids, reinforced thin film coating are:
- NSF 61 certified as a protective barrier layer for the internals of pumps, valves and fitting where potable water exists
- It can be used on the internals of pipes with a diameter greater than 152mm (6 inches) due to internal access issues of smaller pipes
- Provides a tough layer that increases asset longevity and provides predictable maintenance
The use of ARC coatings provides heightened protection against erosion and leads to increased pump efficiency by reducing the restrictions involved with water flow through a pump.
Thanks to meeting the requirements outlined in the Australian Standards AS4020, the use of ARC protective coatings brings increased longevity to potable water assets and ensures the integrity of water quality.
ARC products are suitable to be used on all water system components, including:
- Mechanical devices, such as filters, valves and water meters
- Plumbing devices, such as drinking fountains and taps
- Joining and sealing materials, such as gaskets and adhesives
- Pipes and related items
- Protective barrier materials.
ARC products are available from sealing and rotating machinery specialists, Chesterton. Find out more at www.arcindustrialcoatings.chesterton.com
