A water supply system or network consists of engineered hydrologic and hydraulic features which ensure the supply of water to houses, farms businesses, industries, and so on. The system includes the following:
- A drain basin such as groundwater, bays, rivers, or other considerably large bodies of water. These bodies of water are referred to as common outlets, where precipitation (rain and other sources of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor) drain off to. Read more about that here.
- Water purification facilities for the treatment of water which is transferred through pipes.
- Storage facilities like water towers, water tanks, reservoirs, and so on. In the case of smaller water systems, the water can be stored in pressure vessels or cisterns.
- Additional water pressurizing features like pumping stations.
- Network of pipes for the distribution of water to houses, farms, businesses, industries and so on. These target units are referred to as the consumers of municipal water.
- A separate system of sewer connections, which are characterized by underground pipes and aboveground ditches.
Municipal Water Systems
The purpose of most municipal water system is to supply water to a great number of consumers at an affordable cost. The target units of any system could be hundreds, thousands, or even millions of consumers (mostly private homes).
Municipal water systems work effectively through the use of water storage tanks, especially when there is high demand. The storage tanks act as a buffer between the target units and the source of water (river, reservoir, bay, lake, etc.). With this, adequate water supply is ensured when there are incidences of pumping limitations, ongoing repairs, system maintenance, and other occurrences.
The tanks are typically manufactured with the use of welded steel, which is not a cost-effective option. The installation process is also time-consuming. Other materials that can be used to make them are concrete, plastics, or composites. However, such materials have proven to be difficult to maintain, costly, and hard to install.
Your preferred option, in many cases, would be to get bolted steel tanks, which are constructed using steel sections that are merged with the aid of bolts. This option has many benefits which cannot be overemphasized. They are as good as welded steel tanks, but they have better options for expansion, faster installation times, and fewer maintenance requirements.
Why Steel is a Good Choice of Material for Municipal Water Systems
Municipal water systems supply non-potable water, apart from the normal supply of potable/clean water for drinking and other purposes. In some instances, the local environmental conditions and government regulations determine what types of materials can be used for a storage tank.
Normally, steel tanks can be made with a variety of materials. These materials suit the requirements for potable and non-potable water supply. Steel tanks can be made from galvanized steel, powder-coated steel, and stainless steel. Powder-coated and galvanized steel tanks are offered in versions that meet the standards of various regulatory bodies in terms of their use for the storage of potable water.
Bolted steel tanks are one of the most preferable options for the storage of potable water because they are very hygienic. Other substitutes for this type of storage are the fiberglass and aluminum varieties.
Installation of Bolted Steel Tanks
Providers of municipal water try as much as possible to supply an almost constant flow of water to the consumers. An abnormally long delay in supply could lead to safety issues (which could be disastrous) or consumer complaints. The safety issues that can arise could be emergency situations like fire outbreaks, where water would have been sourced from a nearby fire hydrant.
Other steel tanks like the concrete and welded varieties must primarily be fabricated on-site and may be delayed due to bad weather conditions. This can possibly cause an extension in downtime during the installation.Bolted steel tanks can be manufactured off-site. The manufacturing process involves working in a controlled environment. The parts are then conveyed to the installation area and assembled.
This system ensures better quality control and reduces downtime during the process of installation. The amount of labor needed is also reduced.The installation process will only take a matter of days, instead of the longer length of time (weeks) that it would take other types of tanks to be ready.
Bolted steel tanks will definitely ensure the steady supply of water to the target units. They are considered as very effective industrial storage solutions.
