Abstract
Reinforced concrete towers in a water reservoir contain gates and the equipment to control the water entering the system. Any interruption in the operation of these towers may cause a huge disruption in the municipal water distribution system. Continuous operation in an aggressive environment often contributes to corrosion of aging water infrastructure. A failure due to corrosion would necessitate extensive repair or replacement costs and unacceptable system downtime. This paper presents a case study focused on a comprehensive condition assessment and corrosion mitigation of an aging forebay outlet tower in Southern California. The inspected tower - in operation since 1941 - is a crucial structure in a water distribution system serving most of the 19 million people in Southern California. The tower illustrated significant concrete deterioration and corrosion of the reinforcement above the operating water surface elevation. An impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) system was designed and installed on the tower to extend the life of the structure. Field activities and ICCP installation were dictated by restricted shutdown schedules and operational constraints. The paper addresses the methodology for condition assessment and cathodic protection design as well as challenges encountered due to schedule/operational constraints.
