Raymond Tombaugh is a senior coatings consultant at KTA-Tator, Inc., headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, a consulting/engineering firm specializing in the protective coatings and construction industries. He can be reached at 925.363.5917 or rtombaugh@kta.com.
A 2.2-million-gallon unlined concrete reservoir in southern California, constructed in 1981, was experiencing problems with cracks in the floor and shell, and associated water leakage. Underwater epoxy patches applied to the cracks on the interior of the reservoir did not hold for more than a few years. A high-performance elastomeric urethane lining system, used in conjunction with a concentrated moisture barrier and epoxy primer, was recommended for this project.