Specifying and applying

coatings for water and

wastewater treatment facilities
Consider exposure conditions and prepare surfaces carefully
to get maximum service life
BY PARKER M. YOUNG
THE SHERWIN WILLIAMS COMPANY
CLEVELAND, OHIO

city of 100,000 people requires 10 to 20 million gallons of water daily. The resulting wastewater produced daily contains 20 to 60 tons
of solids. In treatment facilities processing these large quantities of water and wastewater, concrete is exposed to a harsh environment.
Coatings help protect the concrete
and prolong the life of the facility.
The coating system must protect
concrete from chemical attack by
acids. Sewer gas consists primarily
of hydrogen sulfide created by decomposition of organic matter. The
gas combines with oxygen and water condensed on concrete walls,
forming sulfuric acid that attacks
the concrete.
Sulfates of sodium, magnesium,
and ammonium also destroy conc re t e. These sulfates are found in
seawater, factory wastes, and some
groundwaters. Other chemical solutions in wastewaters that attack
concrete include sugars, fermenting liquids, ammonium chloride,
magnesium chloride, and ammonium nitrate.
Moisture penetration may accelerate concrete deterioration. Freezing of saturated concrete causes
spalling. Even in warm environments, moisture penetration may

contribute to rebar corrosion that

causes cracking and spalling. A
good protective coating system
keeps water from penetrating the
c o n c re t e, even during immersion
service. The coating also provides a
pleasing appearance for concrete
surfaces.

Coatings commonly used

for water and wastewater
treatment facilities
A number of coating systems
have good service histories and are
specifically engineered for the demands of the water and wastewater
treatment industry. Coatings that
have proven particularly successful
after sustained use in the field include epoxies, coal tar epoxies, and
vinyls.
Two-component polyamide cured epoxies provide an extremely
hard, durable, tile-like finish for
concrete. Many are suitable for immersion service. They are easy to
clean and are easily applied to properly filled and prepared concrete
s u rf a c e s. Because of their high
solids content, most epoxies comply
with strict air quality regulations
that limit the emission of volatile organic compounds to 312 pounds per
gallon. One disadvantage of epoxies,
howe ve r, is the tendency to chalk

when exposed to sunlight.

Coal tar epoxies are economical
and can achieve the required 16 to
20 mils dry film build with one or
two coats. They are commonly used
on concrete and steel to protect
against severe chemical attack and
abrasion. Coal tar epoxies develop
good adhesion to concrete and are
relatively easy to apply by brush,
roller, or airless spray. When specifying coal tar epoxies, be aware that
there are some co-reactants
(amines, for example) that may
cause workers to break out in a rash.
Many manufacturers no longer use
such co-reactants.
Vinyl coatings have had an excellent service history in immersion
service at water treatment plants.
They dry fast and arent temperature
dependent for curing. Vinyls,
though, have a lower volume of
solids that requires more coats to
achieve the required film thickness.
Some vinyls dont comply with present-day volatile organic compounds requirements.

Exposure conditions
When specifying the coating system, consider exposure conditions.
Types of exposure include:
Immersion service in tanks,

troughs, aerators, filter beds, and

clarifiers
Moist atmospheric exposure in
tank exteriors and wetwalls
Moderate industrial service on
exterior concrete
Interior dry exposure on concrete
floors, walls, and masonry

Some specifiers use only immersion-grade coatings for concrete below the waterline and in the splash
zone above it. Typical coatings systems for immersion and splashzone service include high-build
epoxies applied in two or three
coats to dry film thickness of 12 to
18 mils, coal tar epoxies of 16- to 20mil thickness, and epoxy surfacers
with two coats of high-build epoxy.

Due to todays higher solids and

higher viscosity materials, some
coatings dont penetrate concrete
enough to achieve the best possible
adhesion. Adhesion can be improved by first applying a sealer coat
of epoxy reduced to approximately
20% solids by volume. The sealer
penetrates pores and ties down any
residual dusting.
Moisture-saturated atmospheric

RECOMMENDED COATINGS FOR WASTE AND WATER TREATMENT PLANTS

Water Treatment Facilities

Waste Treatment Plants

Surface

Exposure

Coating

Surface

Exposure

Coating

Aerators

Immersion

Epoxy

Aerators

Basins

Immersion

Epoxy

Building surfaces

Weathering

Water-based acrylic

Interior-dry

Latex

Immersion
Nonimmersion
Weathering
Interior-dry
Interior-wet
Interior

Coal tar epoxy

Water-based acrylic
Water-based acrylic
Latex
Epoxy
Epoxy or chlorinat
ed rubber
Coal tar epoxy
Water-based acrylic
Coal tar epoxy
Water-based acrylic
Coal tar epoxy
Coal tar epoxy
Coal tar epoxy
Water-based acrylic
Epoxy
Water-based acrylic
Coal tar epoxy
Epoxy
Coal tar epoxy
Epoxy
Coal tar epoxy
Epoxy
Coal tar epoxy
Epoxy
Water-based acrylic
Coal tar epoxy
Epoxy
Water-based acrylic
Coal tar epoxy
Epoxy
Water-based acrylic
Coal tar epoxy
Coal tar epoxy
Coal tar epoxy
Coal tar epoxy
Coal tar epoxy
Epoxy
Water-based acrylic
Coal tar epoxy

Interior-wet

Epoxy

Chlorination

Nonimmersion-wet

Epoxy

Clarifiers

Immersion

Epoxy

Nonimmersion-wet

Epoxy

Nonimmersion-dry

Water-based acrylic

Clear wells

Immersion

Epoxy

Nonimmersion-wet

Epoxy

Coagulation basins

Immersion

Epoxy

Nonimmersion-wet

Epoxy

Nonimmersion-dry

Water-based acrylic

Immersion

Epoxy

Filter beds

Nonimmersion-wet

Epoxy

Filter troughs

Immersion

Epoxy

Flocculators

Immersion

Epoxy

Piping

Immersion

Epoxy

Nonimmersion-wet

Epoxy

Nonimmersion-dry

Water-based acrylic

Pump stations

Immersion

Epoxy

Nonimmersion-wet

Epoxy

Nonimmersion-dry

Water-based acrylic

Reservoirs

Immersion

Epoxy

Sedimentation tanks

Immersion

Epoxy

Setting tanks

Immersion

Epoxy

Troughs

Immersion

Epoxy

Nonimmersion-wet

Epoxy

Wash water tanks,

troughs

Wet wells

Immersion

Epoxy

Nonimmersion-wet

Epoxy

Immersion

Epoxy

Building surfaces

Chlorine room
Clarifiers
Digesters
Filters
Flocculators
Gas holders
Greenhouse
Grit chambers
Lift stations
Parschall flumes
Piping

Primary tanks

Pumping stations

Secondary tanks
Sedimentation tanks
Settling tanks
Sludge beds
Trickling filter tanks

Wet wells

Immersion
Nonimmersion
Immersion
Nonimmersion-dry
Immersion
Immersion
Interior
Exterior
Nonimmersion-wet
Weathering
Immersion
Nonimmersion-wet
Immersion
Nonimmersion-wet
Immersion
Nonimmersion-wet
Immersion
Nonimmersion-wet
Nonimmersion-dry
Immersion
Nonimmersion-wet
Nonimmersion-dry
Immersion
Nonimmersion-wet
Nonimmersion-dry
Immersion
Immersion
Immersion
Lining
Immersion
Nonimmersion-wet
Nonimmersion-dry
Immersion

exposure occurs wherever wet surfaces are exposed to continuous

condensation in enclosed areas of
buildings or tank interiors. Usually,
immersion-grade coatings are specified for use in these areas too. They
may include an epoxy surfacer, 25 to
30 mils thick, and two coats of immersion-grade epoxy, each 6 mils
thick. Once again, its best to use a
sealer coat before applying the coating system.
For moderate industrial exposure
in water and wastewater treatment
plants, use urethanes, water-based
acrylics, or silicone alkyds for exterior exposure. For interior exposure
use epoxies, chlorinated rubber, or
water-based acrylics applied 7 to 9
mils thick.
Interior dry surfaces are coated
mainly for appearance and cleanliness. Epoxy enamels are often used
on concrete floors, with latexes,
e p ox i e s, and other architectural paints being used on walls and
ceilings.
The table shows recommended
coating systems for many different
water and wastewater treatment facility applications.

Effects of concrete properties

and construction methods on
coating adhesion
The performance of any coating
system is strongly influenced by
concrete surface condition. Surface
contaminants must be removed to
p re vent loss of bond between the
coating and the concrete. Su rf a c e
voids must be filled so that air bubbles dont form beneath the coating
film. Heres how to handle some of
the more common surface preparation problems:
LaitanceLaitance is a common
surface imperfection in slabs that
are placed with over-wet concrete
or are finished while there is still
bleedwater on the surface. The
laitance is a layer of weak material containing cement and aggregate fines brought to the surface
by bleeding water. It is poorly
bonded to the underlying conc re t e, and any coating applied

to it eventually peels. Remove it

with light abrasive blasting
or acid etching before applying
the coating.
EfflorescenceEfflorescence is a
deposit of salts, usually white, on
a concrete surface. The salts are
water-soluble compounds that
originate in the concrete or in soil
or solutions in contact with the
concrete. They move to the surface in solution form and remain
when the water evaporates. They
may be further altered chemically by contact with the air. Calcium
h yd roxide, for instance, forms
calcium carbonate when it is exposed to carbon dioxide in the air.
If its caught soon enough, efflorescence can be removed by
scrubbing with water. But if it has
already carbonated it will be insoluble in water. Muriatic acid
etching will remove the insoluble
residue.
Form oils and waxes Form oils
and waxes aid in stripping forms
but may remain on the concrete
surface. The coating will then flow
away from the oil-saturated area
leaving it unprotected. Dont use
form release agents if a coating
is to be applied later. To remove
form oils, scrub with an emulsifying agent and rinse with tap
water.
Air pockets (bugholes) and honeycombThese voids occur on
the surface or just beneath it. For
bugholes, the openings at the surface may be small compared with
the holes actual sizes. Because of
this, its difficult to fill the holes
when coatings are applied. Instead, the coating traps air by
bridging over the hole. When the
temperature rises, the air expands
and forms a bubble in the coating. If the bubble breaks, it leaves
the concrete unprotected at that
point. Subsequent coats also
bridge over the hole and later
break. Light abrasive blasting is
the best surface treatment for
opening up bugholes. Holes larg-

er than 14 inch in diameter

should be filled by finishers. The
coating supplier may recommend
a product for filling holes smaller
than 14 inch in diameter. The
filler must be compatible with the
coating system.
Surface hardenersHardeners
are used on some floors to increase surface hardness, increase
resistance to chemical attack, and
decrease permeability to liquids.
Because they produce a hard,
slick surface, howe ve r, these materials interfere with adhesion of
organic coatings. Avoid using
them on surfaces to be coated, especially for immersion service. If
a hardened surface must be coated, a light abrasive blasting produces the surface profile needed
for good adhesion.
Check with the coating supplier
before using hardeners, form release agents, curing compounds, or
other surface treatments. Make sure
theyre compatible with the coating
to be used.

Surface preparation methods

For best results from any coating
system, make sure all concrete surfaces are clean, dry, and well cured
before theyre coated. The surface
should have the texture of mediumgrit sandpaper and should be tightly adherent, not powdery. There
a re nt any all-inclusive national
standards for surface preparation or
its evaluation. Two sources of information, howe ve r, are ACI Committee 503s publications on barrier systems for concrete and ASTM
C 811-81 which covers surface
preparation.
Most coating manufacturers recommend coating concrete no earlier than 28 days after its been
placed. This period allows enough
curing for adequate strength gain
and enough time for adequate drying. If some of the moisture in the
concrete is not allowed to evaporate, it can cause blistering and failure of the coating.
Use the ASTM D 4263 moisture

test to determine whether or not

concrete is sufficiently dry to coat it.
Cover a 1x2-foot area of concrete
with a clear 4-mil plastic sheet
sealed at the edges with duct tape.
Remove the sheet after 24 to 48
hours. If theres condensation on the
side of the sheet toward the concrete or if the covered area is darker
than the exposed area, the concrete
is too wet to coat. Moisture meters
a re nt a reliable alternative for this
test. Results may be unreliable because the meters dont always measure moisture that is migrating toward the surface.
Blast and fill hollow areas, bugholes, honeycombs, and voids.
Grind to round off all fins, form
m a rk s, and protrusions or rough
edges. This provides a smooth, continuous surface with the correct texture for coating.
Remove all grease, dirt, paint, oil,
tar, glaze, laitance, efflorescence,
loose mortar, and cement. Two of
the most common methods for do ing this are blast cleaning and acid
etching. Be aware, though, that
chlorides in muriatic and hyd ro c h l o ric acid attack and may
cause stress corrosion cracking of
Type 304 stainless steel piping.
Blast cleaning includes dry abrasive blasting, water blasting with
abrasives, and vacuum blasting with
a b ra s i ve s. Use suitable size abrasives and oil-free air to remove contaminants and open bugholes. Vacuum or blow down and remove dust
and loose particles from the surface.

Vertical and overhead surfaces

are difficult to etch, but acid etching is feasible for previously uncoated horizontal concrete surfaces. Allow the acid to remain on the
surface until frothing action stops.
Drain, thoroughly rinse with large
amounts of clean water, and scrub
with a stiff brush to remove scum. It
may be necessary to repeat this
process several times if the texture
of medium-grade sandpaper isnt
achieved on the first etch. Bring the
pH of the surface to neutral with a
3% solution of trisodium phosphate, then flush with tap water. Before coating, allow the surface to dry
and check it for moisture using the
ASTM D 4263 test described earlier.

Coating application,
inspection, and maintenance
Mandatory hold points during
surface preparation and coating application can help ensure a satisfactory coating job. Inspect the work
after surface preparation and after
each coat has been applied. Document the inspection results and retain them for reference. Record results of moisture tests on the
c o n c re t e. Monitor coating thickness, both wet and dry. Verify that
correct mixing ratios are being used
for two-component systems. Also
record ambient conditions and surface and material temperatures during application and curing.
Most co-reacted epoxies require
air, surface, and material temperature to be at least 55 F for 24 hours

before coating application. Also

maintain this minimum temperature during application and curing
or drying of the coating.
The MEK rub test is commonly
used to determine whether or not
an epoxy film has cured sufficiently.
Rub the surface 30 times with a rag
soaked in methyl ethyl ketone
(MEK). Then inspect the surface for
any evidence of softening or being
dissolved by the solvent.
Follow a regularly scheduled program of inspection, touch-up, and
maintenance to ensure that the system reaches its design service lift.
Inspect at 6-month intervals for
server exposure installations and at
12- to 18-month intervals for moderate exposures.
Repairs are needed when up to
10% of the coating area has been
chemically or physically damaged.
For coatings in atmospheric service,
clean the damaged area with power
tools, spot prime it, and finish coat it
with the original coating system. For
failed coatings in immersion
s e rv i c e, spot blast back at least 1
inch into sound film. Then feather
the edges and recoat with the original system. When the coating system has deteriorated to about onethird of the total area, it may be
more economical to consider a
complete recoat with the original
coating system.
PUBLICATION #C900384
Copyright 1990, The Aberdeen Group
All rights reserved