Securing Your Water Storage Tank—Erin

Securing Your Water Storage Tank

Erin Schmitt

Storage tanks are prime targets for vandals and mischief-makers. These large, ubiquitous structures are also attractive canvasses for graffiti artists. Think of how many times you’ve seen something like “Nick loves Jessica” scrawled on a tank, or perhaps some other less-wholesome, more-profane message. The taller elevated structures also present a challenge to adventurous types. Can they scale to the top? Why, yes, it’s possible if the tank is not secured.

That was the case when Alabama firefighters rescued a woman swimming in an elevated water tank in August of last year. According to news reports, the woman broke through a fence surrounding the tank, climbed a ladder to the top of the 350,000-gallon tank, entered it, and started swimming. A local official said it appeared a contractor had failed to lock the tower’s roof hatch after repainting the tank the week before the incident. A retired police officer happened to spot the woman and called authorities, who captured her with a harness.

Use Fencing and Signage for Safety and Security

The first line of defense to secure a tank is a good, sturdy fence. Potable water towers should always be surrounded by fencing to deter trespassers, with signs such as “No Trespassing” and “Warning, Tampering With This Facility is a Federal Offense.” According to 42 U.S. Code 300i-1, tampering means either introducing a contaminant into a public water system with the intention of harming people or otherwise interfering with the operation of a public water system with the intent to harm people.

Under this law, any person who tampers with a public water system shall be imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or fined per Title 18, or both. Anyone who attempts or threatens to tamper with a system should be imprisoned for not more than 10 years, fined, or both.

Civil actions may also be brought against anyone accused of tampering in the appropriate U.S. district court. Civil penalties can be up to $1 million for tampering and no more than $100,000 for attempting or threatening to tamper with a water supply.

Restrict Ladder Access

Water tank ladders are necessary for workers to do repairs and routine maintenance, but they shouldn’t be easily accessible to the public. It’s easy for trespassers to climb a ladder that begins near ground level, so if the ladder is higher up, it means they would need another ladder to get on the ladder that leads to a tank’s roof. That’s why exterior ladders should terminate at least 8 feet above grade, according to American Water Works Association (AWWA) Manual M42, Steel Water Storage Tanks (2013). Ladders should also have locks installed on ladder guards, or cage guards to prevent people from climbing the ladder.

Take any preventative measures you can to prevent someone from unlawfully climbing the ladder. If an unauthorized person climbs the ladder, that puts them in danger. If someone is climbing more than 6 feet, they should be tied off. Someone illegally scaling a tank or tower won’t likely do that, so they are at greater risk of falling. There’s also a better chance that the trespasser is intoxicated, which would affect their balance.

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