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Consultants propose 10‑year tank maintenance program to extend life of Westerly storage tanks
Summary
USG Water representatives presented a 10‑year maintenance and renovation plan for five town water tanks, describing inspection, cleaning and coating schedules and a 10‑year spread payment option the company says would reduce long‑term replacement costs.
Westerly — Consultants working with the Westerly Water Department presented a 10‑year tank maintenance program on Monday, saying the plan would extend coating life, improve water quality and reduce the likelihood of unexpected replacement costs.
The presentation by Kevin Martel of USG Water described condition assessments done in 2024 and a proposed schedule of inspections, washouts and exterior and interior coating work across five town tanks. “The goal is to introduce ... our tank maintenance program and show how our tank maintenance program can extend the life of your tanks. It'll improve the safety, the water quality, and it'll save the town money,” Martel said.
Key program details presented - Scope: condition assessments performed for five storage tanks; priorities identified for inspection and maintenance. - Typical tasks described: power washing (presenter said every three years under the program), exterior overcoats (presenter cited an exterior overcoat interval at roughly every 7–9 years depending on condition) and interior coating work on longer cycles (presenter noted interior work is less frequent). - Priorities cited: Tower Street tank (historic tank) and Winnapaug tank were identified as approaching or within an overcoat window; Bradford tank was described as having lost overcoat adhesion and needing a full blast and repaint. - Warranty: the presenter said USG Water provides warranty coverage for work performed while a tank is under contract.
Why it matters: Council members and staff said the town has not maintained a proactive program and that a planned maintenance approach could avoid larger replacement costs later. Councilor Schiava asked whether red‑flagged tanks can still be repaired rather than replaced; Martel said they could be repaired under the program and that work is warrantied while under contract.
Cost and contracting notes Martel described a 10‑year spread fee schedule covering renovation and maintenance for the tanks, and said the contract is typically evergreen — automatically renewing unless cancelled — with year‑11 pricing that historically rises 3.5–5% depending on inflation. He said the program bundles specialty services so the town would deal with a single vendor rather than multiple contractors.
No formal council vote was taken; the presentation was informational and the consultants said they prepared budgetary pricing that the town can consider during the utilities budget cycle.
