Photo: Sediment being removed from Potable Water Storage Tank.

        The American Water Works Association recommends that tanks be cleaned at least every three years.  Recent focus on pharmaceuticals in water systems have made more people than ever aware of contaminates that may be lurking in their water supply.   Although pharmaceuticals in drinking water may be in the news the real threat is random bacteria and cryptosporidium spores.

The Threat of Bacteria-

Countless kinds of bacteria can make their way into a public water supply.  Chlorine and other treatment methods are our first line of defense.  When potable water storage tanks are clean small amounts of bacteria that survive the treatment process cycle through the system undetected and harmless due to the small quantity.  Sediment in the tank can capture and harbor these small amounts of bacteria.  The bacteria can start to grow hidden from chlorine deep in the sediment.  Chlorine can even be overwhelmed and depleted if a nitrate eating bacteria is collected.   As the bacteria continues to grow in the sediment month after month and year after year the threat to public health grows.       

  The Threat of Cryptosporidium

The threat of cryptosporidium outbreak is even greater with sediment in the floor of a water storage tank.   Again Sediment can harbor bacteria, cryptosporidium and other contaminates.  The best defense to insure a protozoa like  cryptosporidium will not take up residence in your water storage system may be to keep the tanks free of sediment.  In the Spring of 1993 over 100 people died as a result of a cryptosporidium outbreak that was directly associated with the Howard Avenue Water Purification Plant.  This was the largest water born disease ever documented in United States history.  It is estimated that over 400,000 people became ill with diarrhea.  

Due to the fact that cryptosporidium is a protozoa parasite with a thick outer shell it is highly resistant to disinfectants such as chlorine.  The best defense to ensure it will not inhabit your water system may be to make sure your water tanks remain sediment free.  This will remove and habitat that small amounts bacteria or protozoa could lodge and grow in, Preventing possible public health problem in the most simple way.  Keeping water storage tanks clean.    

Photo: Sediment being removed from Potable Water Storage Tank.

What is in the floor of your tank Call RON PERRIN to find out 1-888-481-1768

Yearly inspections of your potable water storage tanks is the best way to keep up with the sediment levels in your tank.   Since 1997 Ron Perrin Water Technologies have served water utility companies. They  offer high tech inspections using the latest generation of remotely operated underwater cameras.  Comprehensive inspections with NO WATER LOSS and NO Disruption in your service.  Our underwater camera gives you a first hand look at your water quality and allows you to make an informed decision on whether the tank should be cleaned or taken out of service for other repairs. CLEAN YOUR TANKS 

Keeping your water storage tanks clean may be one of the most overlooked maintenance procedures in the water industry.  Out of sight and out of mind, sediment in the bottom of your water storage tanks is never seen and rarely thought of.   The sediment that builds up in almost all potable water tanks can be a habitat for bacteria and other contaminates.  Bacteria can get a foothold in the sediment  out of reach of the chlorine entering the tank. Hidden in the sediment the bacteria can then grow and flourish creating a health risk. A nitrate eating bacteria can even deplete your chlorine levels leaving you at even greater risk. Removing the sediment and keeping your tank clean is the best way to maintain a healthy water system.  Divers wearing a dry suit are sealed in their own environment, they are then washed down with a chlorine solution meeting all State and AWWA requirements.  The divers may then enter the water system and vacuum out the sediment.  Everything that is loose is removed, allowing the chlorine or other treatment chemicals entering the tank to effectively do its job. This is a much more effective method than the traditional buckets and shovels.  We are able to remove ALL loose sediment without scraping shovels on painted surfaces.  In addition thereIs minimum water loss with our method, you do not need to DRAIN YOUR TANKS.         Call today to learn how we can save you water, time and money while helping you maintain the healthiest water system possible.

1-888-481-1768        Visit  www.ronperrin.com  

Divers prepare to go into a potable water storage tank by washing down with a 200ppm chlorine solution.  On this date 3 to 6 inches of sediment was removed form a 300,000 gallon tank.

The certified diver is wearing a dry suit and full face mask.  The dry suit ensures that no part of the divers body touches the water.  All of the equipment is purchased for and only used in potable water.  Many off-shore companies have a hard time sticking to this rule when they only work in potable water tanks occasionally.  RON PERRIN WATER TECHNOLOGIES divers work in potable water every week.  Potable water inspection and tank cleaning is #1 job. 

Having your water tanks inspected and cleaned when needed is the best way to insure the health of your system.

Call us today toll free at 1-888-481-1768.  Or fax a list of your tanks and sizes to 817-246-1740 for a QUICK QUOTE!

Our new diver has a lot of knowledge and skills to offer our customers.  We would like to welcome Matthew Leslie to our company.

 Matthew Leslie

We are working to make RON PERRIN WATER TECHNOLOGIES the most dependable company in the potable water industry.  Our people make the diffrence.  Cleaning and inspecting water storage tanks is what we do and we look forward to meeting you and working for your water system.

Our company is growing and we are now interviewing entry level divers. 

DIVER needed to work with commercial dive crew. No paid diving experience is required however you must be a certified diver & at least 18 years old for trainee and 26 for supervisor.

Seeking Trainee and Supervisor with knolege of OSHA regulations.

If this sounds like the kind of thing you have been looking for please check out our web site at www.ronperrin.com
Applications are available for download at http://www.ronperrin.com/employment.htm
Call 817-377-4899

Cleaning these tanks and towers is important and often overlooked.  The photo below is from a July 2007 cleaning of a potable water storage tank.  This is public drinking water that goes straight to the tap.   With all of the other problems water utility directors face day to day thinking about having the floor of their storage tanks cleaned is often overlooked.  In addition in the past it has been a major disruption to water service.  The tanks would normally need to be taken out of service drained and then cleaned.  Buckets and shovels have often been the primary tools. Today, potable water dive crews can enter the water system wearing a dry suit that keeps the diver in his own environment away from the water.  They are able to vacuum the floor of the tank clean removing sediment that may contain or become a future breeding ground for harmful bacteria.  See www.ronperrin.com for more information.

How they do it:

Divers wear dry suits so no part of the man is in contact with the water in the system.  They are then washed down with a chlorin solution to be in compliance with State and AWWA regulations. Below a diver prepares to enter the water storage tank.

Check out our youtube video that shows a sample water tower inspection click on or copy and paste this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwYYeHNviGI  This is raw video without the voice over just to give you an idea of what our underwater inspection videos look like. We will have new diver video soon!

Visit the home page for “Water IQ: Know Your Water” — the campaign that educates utility customers and businesses about their water sources and provides simple tips on how to be more efficient with water. The rapid population growth in Texas, booming economic development and—for many parts of Texas—the worst drought in 50 years means water is in greater demand than ever before. As consumers, we need to use our limited water supplies efficiently no matter how much it rains.The good news is it doesn’t take much effort. If everyone does their part, we can make our water last.Go to http://www.wateriq.org/ or  http://www.wateriq.org/about.php

Photo: Diver enters potable water storage tank

We recently removed sediment out of a storage tank that was so dark it looked like chocolate milk. I dont think anyone wants the bottom two inches of their water storage tank looking like this!

The fact is you dont know what you have in your water storage tanks until you take a look.  Our inspection methods use high resolution underwater cameras that allow administrators to view the interior of their tanks on a DVD.  RON PERRIN WATER TECHNOLOGIES offers affordable inspections with remote underwater cameras.  Our company specialized in potable water inspection and cleanings.  We provide the most information for the lowest cost see www.ronperrin.com for more details. 

To ensure public health and structural safety potable water storage tanks should be inspected every year.  The only way you really know what is in a storage tank is to look. To avoid the unnecessary cost of draining storage tanks contractors like RON PERRIN WATER TECHNOLOGIES use underwater cameras to document the conditions of the facilities while they remain full of water.  If deep sediment levels are found specially trained divers wearing dry suits may be deployed to clean the tank.  The key to diving in potable water (treated drinking water) is the equipment.   All equipment used in the water system must be purchased for and only used in potable water.  If divers are used they wear DRY suits.  These specially designed suits enclose the diver in his own environment so no part of the person touches the water.  The diver or equipment used is then washed down with a chlorine solution meeting AWWA standards.  Below a diver prepares to enter the tank.