Water Treatment Plant’s clarifiers to receive new coat of protective paint

Newton Water Treatment Plant is getting a new paint job, but it is not one that will be so easily noticed by residents. Rather than an exterior coat on the plant itself, it is a component in the inner workings receiving a new layer of paint. Without the new coating it could corrode. And that is not something residents want to notice.

Newton City Council last week awarded a more than $129,000 contract to paint the clarifiers at the treatment plant. Clarifiers are a vital component to the water treatment process. They allow suspended solids to settle, improving the water quality before it proceeds to filtration and disinfection.

However, the protective coatings on the clarifier structures deteriorate over time due to constant exposure to water and chemicals. If not properly maintained, city documents said the degradation can lead to corrosion, structural damage and reduced operational efficiency.

Clarifier components can be pressure-washed and repainted several times before requiring full restoration. Typically, these washes and re-paints happen every three years. But every 12 to 15 years components must be fully restored and blasted to bare metal before being primed and recoated.

The upcoming work is considered part of this restoration cycle.

Six bids were received by the city’s utilities department, ranging from the low bid of $129,759 to $324,500. H2 Services, of Fennimore, Wisc., was identified as the lowest responsible bidder. The project includes a removal of existing coatings, surface preparation and application of high-performance protective coatings.

When fully completed, the new coatings should extend the service life of the clarifiers, ensure reliable water treatment operations and support the city’s commitment to providing safe, high-quality drinking water to the community. Council member Stacy Simbro asked if there would be interruptions of service.

Utilities Director Jody Rhone explained there would not be any downtime. The city has two clarifiers that are run one at a time. Currently, the plant is switched over to its south clarifier while the north clarifier is restored. Rhone said the city chose to do this work in the wintertime while demand is low.

The project is to be paid with enterprise funds from the water treatment plant.