Engineer flags early cracking in Richmond water tank; commission to seek tank/structural specialist

An outside engineer warned the Richmond Water and Sewer Commission on June 17 that the town's single‑cell, cast‑in‑place water tank shows more cracking than expected for its age and deserves a specialist review.

Tyler Bingy, the consulting engineer who reviewed exterior and interior video of the tank, told commissioners: "it is showing more cracking than it probably should given its age" and said the pattern of leaks and efflorescence suggests water is seeping into cracks. He added, "It's not a catastrophic it's gonna blow apart tomorrow kind of thing but it is kind of an early maintenance thing that you probably should address sooner rather than later." The engineer cautioned that freeze–thaw cycles could widen cracks over time.

Bingy described possible repairs — including diver access and injectable epoxy or urethane crack injections — but said those are specialist products and may not be permanent. "There are some injectable ... epoxy resin crack injection products that you can get into there and kind of inject to kind of seal that water from leaking out and help bond that concrete back together," he said, but he also warned that crack injections "may not be a permanent 100‑year fix." The commission noted staff report that the contractor SD Ireland previously performed an epoxy injection and applied a parge coat that staff believe was primarily cosmetic, not a durable interior seal.

Commissioners and the engineer discussed design and geotechnical concerns. Bingy said the cast‑in‑place, hillside‑perched rectangular tank is an older design more common in the 1960s–80s and that settlement on the steep cut‑and‑fill slope could have contributed to cracking. He recommended a structural engineer experienced with tanks on hillsides, with geotechnical support where appropriate.

Town staff said they have already arranged for a structural engineer who will view the video and inspect other tanks as part of the 20‑year upgrade work this week, and they have asked the dive company that cleaned the tank to provide details on prior crack‑maintenance work and pricing. The town's attorney has also been seeking qualified Vermont or out‑of‑state firms to take on a specialist review.

Next steps: commissioners directed staff to put the issue back on the next agenda after the structural engineer's assessment and to gather documentation about the prior epoxy injection (contractor, product, date) so the specialist can evaluate past repairs when making recommendations.