Wastewater and Fighting Corrosion: SSPC and GSA

One of our most basic needs is clean water. But where does the water go that we use every day? From personal to industrial settings and everything in between, humans produce what is referred to as wastewater. Our most commonly used element and therefore an abundant byproduct, wastewater is then channeled into sewers, funneling through miles of pipeline, and ultimately ends up in local treatment plants.  As an important part of our local government, the use and maintenance of wastewater structures and facilities become an integral part of releasing clean water back into the environment. Working with a naturally corrosive element and combining it with waste cleaning chemicals makes this maintenance a constant battle.

Water treatment, an often-overlooked part of every local government is critical to some of our most basic needs. Collecting and treating sewage and wastewater is important in the production of clean water and the support of public health and safety. Two main types of wastewater treatment plants included in this process are biological wastewater, and chemical or physical wastewater treatment plants. These plants house a multitude of steel and concrete structures including pipes, screens, filtration systems, wastewater bins, storage tanks, and settling tanks. A popular material used to make up these various tanks and facility structures is reinforced concrete, which can be very susceptible to water damage. The process of treating our wastewater introduces all of these elements to harsh chemicals creating an environment for accelerated deterioration.

SSPC is proud to have a variety of courses available to benefit individuals within the wastewater field. Offering course tracks in topics such as coatings fundamentals, lead, health & safety, coating inspection, as well as concrete coating inspection and more. We are able to offer training at some of our lowest discounted prices with our contracted GSA schedule. Local government entities (which include water districts and authorities that are determined to be instrumentalities of a state or local government) are able to take advantage of these discounted prices, through the specialized programs below.

• Cooperative Purchasing
• Disaster Emergency Response (also known as Disaster Purchasing Program)
• Public Health Emergency Response

SSPC offers trainings and certification to aid professionals in the confident detection and prevention of corrosion in these complex environments. Training like our Concrete Coating Basics eCourse (CCB) offers a flexible online learning option. This fundamental course is a comprehensive overview of topics including concrete components, coating and surfacing types, surface preparation, general installation, selection of coatings, application methods, and quality assurance. The CCB was designed to provide a strong and necessary foundation for all individuals working in concrete-reliant environments and is used as a prerequisite to our inspection level course.

Inspection is an essential tool in corrosion heavy environments. SSPC’s Concrete Coating Inspector Program (CCI) was developed to train and certify individuals in the proper methods of inspecting surface preparation and installation of protective coatings on industrial concrete structures and facilities. This course offers several different levels of certification based on the individual’s current level of experience and training.

SSPC also offers various other courses that would be beneficial in steel and concrete-rich environments, including the following:

• The Abrasive Blasting Certification (C7) is designed especially for personnel who wish to learn about the proper preparation of steel and nonferrous surfaces through blast cleaning.
• Our NEW Concrete Coating Application Specialist (CCAS) Level 1 and 2 focus on topics like moisture testing, repair, prep, and coating application; with level 2 designed specifically for projects which include structural concrete and manhole/wastewater.
• SSPC’s Plural Component Application for Polyureas and High Solid Coatings (PLURAL) course is designed to train and certify applicators in the application of protective coatings by airless spray using plural component spray equipment. The program focus is on the application of two component high solids, polyurethanes, and polyurea coatings in a marine/industrial environment on steel or concrete.

With the help of purchasing programs and our listing on the GSA schedule, SSPC hopes to be able to help local government and the wastewater industry find affordable training options. For more information on SSPC training and the GSA please click here, or reach out to Melissa Pinolini at Pinolini@sspc.org.

More information can be found on the available discounted programs here.

Well-inspected and maintained structures are an invaluable tool to wastewater treatment systems, as well as the infrastructures and communities they support. With the use of various chemicals like sodium sulfates and ammonium, commonly used in water treatment, and the constant exposure to penetrative moisture the process of corrosion can become accelerated and detrimental. Reports say millions of public dollars are spent each year repairing corrosion to wastewater facilities. Proper protection and inspection are a critical asset; without which facilities and structures will begin to crumble and cause damage to waste water systems.  The ability to prevent, recognize, and repair this corrosion is vital to our public health and to those working in such an integral industry.