ASHLAND - The long process of repairing Ashland's water storage tank will be completed soon.
Alfred Benesch & Co. senior designer Natalie L. O'Connor, E.I.T., reported the good news at Monday's meeting of the Ashland Area Municipal Authority.
"The tank project is all but complete," O'Connor said in her monthly report to the board.
JNP Construction Corp., South Hackensack, N.J., started the work in July, draining the 55-foot high tank that holds one million gallons of water. Due to leaks, the 22nd Street water tank has been filled to only 80 percent of capacity in recent years.
The tank was drained and, while cleaning the interior, workers found nearly 70 holes. Along with JNP's work, Atlantic Fabricators LLC made the roof vent, ladder and manhole. Mumford-Bjorkman Associates Inc., New Castle, Del., was retained as project inspector.
"Atlantic will install the roof vent and deliver the safety climb device this week," O'Connor said. "JNP has completed all coatings. MBA has instructed the authority to wait for a few days with temperatures above 50 degrees, and they will confirm the coating is fully cured prior to filling and disinfection."
O'Connor also said: "After I had my report done, I got a phone call from JNP. They're sending a guy up tomorrow to clean up the site, get the sand out of there and he will also check the paint to see if it may be cured already. It might then be possible for the disinfection by spraying chlorine on the inside of the tank, and let it sit for a week. After the holidays, we possibly could start filling the tank and get it back into service, but we're not going to rush anything. If it's not cured, we're just going to wait."
Though the tank is out of service, water pressure has not been affected in the borough, O'Connor said. The authority maintains a second tank of 300,000 gallons at the water treatment plant in Butler Township.
Since the main tank is used to provide a water supply during a fire, fire protection has been coordinated with the Roaring Creek Division of Aqua Pennsylvania through a water system interconnect. Also, fire calls in the borough include an automatic dispatching of the Tanker Task Force, which includes tankers from area fire companies.