One of Yarra Valley Water’s largest water tanks has undergone the biggest overhaul in its 50 year history. The huge water tank which holds 26.5 million litres of water (enough to fill 11 Olympic-sized swimming pools) underwent pressure washing, repair of corrosion damage and repainting works.

The water tank is situated near residential neighborhoods. In order to minimize the noise, Yarra Valley Water researched new technology and came across the magnetic VertiDrive robot.

The VertiDrive blasted Yarra Valley Water’s largest water tank at 40,000psi. This environmentally friendly process strips off the old coating while a vacuum recovers all the paint chips and waste water in one pass. Additionally, the noise and dust levels were reduced.

Because the tank underlying steel had not been badly corroded, they did not have to grit blast. The high pressure water was enough to expose the underlying surface roughness that was created when blasted previously.

The project took two months to complete. Three crews worked simultaneously pressure washing, sanding and painting.

In the future, Yarra Valley Water plans to use this innovation again. Its large fleet of tanks require a lot of maintenance or refurbishment. With these tanks being in the suburbs, the VertiDrive is an efficient and cost-effective solution, minimizing noise and dust levels for nearby residents.

Photo by Yarra Valley Water.