Limber Road water tank in for relining project

Mike Crowley, The Meadville Tribune, Pa.
·2 min read

Sep. 12—A relining project begins today at the Limber Road water tower.

No disruptions to water or fire hydrant service are expected during the project, according to Meadville Area Water Authority (MAWA) officials. Water customers on the north end of the city above Deissler Court may experience fluctuations in their water pressure, however. The water tower is located just south of the intersection of Limber Road and Hamilton Road.

The project is expected to last two to three weeks.

"We appreciate your patience as we perform this important maintenance in order to continue to provide our water customers with safe drinking water," the authority said in a press release.

The project was approved by the authority board in April at a cost of nearly $83,000.

The work will be performed by Liquid Engineering Corporation of Billings, Montana. The same firm cleaned and inspected both the Limber Road and the Hillcrest tanks last year, MAWA Project Manager Harrington said. The inspection of the Limber tower revealed deficiencies in the lining. The project will also include the installation of a 30-inch secondary hatch in the tank, which Harrington said is a new requirement for water towers.

The contract was arranged through COSTARS, the state's cooperative purchasing system.

The new lining, which consists of a spray-on epoxy, is expected to extend the life of the tower, maintain water quality and help prevent accumulation of debris inside the tank, according to Harrington.

"Pop-off" pressure relief valves installed on hydrants in the area of the tower will enable the authority to maintain service while work is performed in the area with pumps serving the area running constantly. The accommodations are labor intensive for MAWA crews, according to Harrington, but prevent the system from being over-pressurized while maintaining service.

In June, the board approved the purchase of six pressure relief valves at a cost of $13,000 for use in the project. At the time, consulting engineer Tom Thompson told board members the hydrants selected would be ones that would drain into grassy areas or along the curb lines.

Mike Crowley can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at mcrowley@meadvilletribune.com.