How to prevent water leakage from your water tank

Do you know what condition your tank is in? In addition to wasting water, a damaged water tank can be a danger to your health. Read on to find out how you can ensure that your tank is not at risk.

The importance of waterproofing

The waterproofing of water tanks is the most effective way to guarantee the potability of drinking water, as it keeps the water in the tank, protecting it from contamination such as fungi or bacteria.

It’s also important to ensure that there is no contamination of the waterproofing material that will be applied.

It is necessary to ensure that the waterproofing system does not change the potability of the water and the way to do this is through tests.

In addition to water potability which is an essential public health issue, it is important to consider the cost of wasting water.

Ruptures, infiltrations, and uncharged water consumption in municipal networks lead to commercial losses in the order of 30%, on average in the country, but there are cases in which the value reaches 70% of lost water.

What are the most common pathologies?

The pathologies that are found most frequently in the water tanks are:

Deterioration of applied materials
Delamination of concrete by reinforcement corrosion
Concrete cracking or cracking
Degradation of interior and exterior coatings – waterproofing, mortars, and paints
Degradation of metallic elements inside and outside the tank
Waterproofing the roof slab and the interior of the tanks with materials without quality assurance and not certified.

Be especially aware of the most visible pathologies such as cracks and deterioration of the concrete and degradation of the paintings.

reabilitação-reservatório — Water tank before Prudêncio’s intervention

How to choose a waterproofing system?

The good performance of a water tank depends on the waterproofing system applied.

There are several types of waterproofing systems, so, in case of suspected water leaks, it is necessary to contact a team of professionals to diagnose and apply the appropriate solution.

Before applying the waterproofing solution, it is very important to prepare the surfaces. This means treating the faults and cracks in the support.

At Prudêncio, we rehabilitate your water tank by applying Koster TPO Aqua membranes. These waterproofing membranes for drinking and non-drinking water structures meet the most stringent hygienic requirements for drinking water environments, in accordance with German standards DVGW W 270 and the KTW guidelines.

Prudêncio’s work – During the rehabilitation works of a water tank with the application of Koster TPO Aqua membranes

This solution has several benefits, which, in our experience, make it the most suitable solution on the market:

100% ecological product, safe for human health, water, soil, animals, and plants.
Compatible with all types of substrates such as concrete, metal, wood, plastic, etc.
It requires little care in the preparation of the substrate and prevents degradation of the reinforcement.
Its application does not produce residue, smell, smoke, or danger of ignition.
The applied membranes do not require special cleaning or disinfection after application.
Highly tear-resistant membrane with high flexibility.
Membrane with a 15-year warranty and a lifetime of over 40 years.
A system that functions as a “bag” independent of the support, not subject to the same stresses, such as swelling or cracking, that the fully bonded systems undergo.

Also noteworthy is the speed of application and start of use that this solution provides. A 150m2 tank can be waterproofed and filled in order to be operational in 24 to 48 hours, a scenario impossible to achieve with any other coating.

Its durability makes this solution a safe option for drinking water structures.

Prudêncio’s work – Before and After the rehabilitation works of a water tank with the application of Koster TPO Aqua membranes

Maintenance care

When carrying out cleaning and maintenance work on the water tank, it is up to the condominiums to ensure that these works comply with safety requirements.

The use of chemical products for disinfection and the abrasion caused by the scrubbing of the tank walls can lead to the faster deterioration of some waterproofing systems and, consequently, to infiltrations.

The maintenance of our TPO Aqua membranes is very simple and requires cleaning with running water, after emptying the tank, using soft sponges or brushes. In the event of more accumulated debris, a household detergent can be used to help remove it.