Installer Spotlight: Advanced Rehabilitation Technology Saves the Day for Middle School Package Plant
The Virgil Grissom Middle School package plant, located in Virgil Grissom, Indiana, was a large steel structure located behind the school so the wastewater could be treated onsite. It was beginning to deteriorate due to its age, showing signs of active groundwater I&I.
The issue in question was whether to replace the package plant or find another viable solution. “Replacement costs would include buying the land for a new package plant, applying for permits for the project, having to dig out a place for the new structure and pour concrete, and having a new package plant built,” said Derrick Short, Business Development Manager for Indiana and Illinois, with Advanced Rehabilitation Technology (ART). “Plus, then they would be left with the old one as an eyesore with a tank in the ground.”
It didn’t take long for the customer to see another solution that would prevent the heavy cost and time expense of replacement. After discussing their options with Derrick, they selected ART, an OBIC-certified installer, to stop the I&I of the package plant and return it to like-new, all before the start of the school season.
ART started the prep work by sandblasting the 25′ diameter by 17′ deep package plant that had four different chambers. “The prep work was a little tricky due to the structure being right next to the school and sandblasting can be messy,” said Derrick. “In order to cut down on that, we used a wet blast using glass media and added in a rust inhibitor. Then we worked to stop all the leaks by drilling through the steel and using chemical grout 2262. We installed steel plate patching on some of the bigger holes by putting patches into the steel coating to adhere. Once it was rinsed, we had to remove all liquids and media with a VAC truck. The last step was to apply a primer.”
The OBIC Armor system was then carefully applied in a grey color to closely match the steel underneath. OBIC’s three-layer system known as OBIC Armor is composed of a 50-mil thick first adhesion layer of OBIC 1000 polyurea, a 400-mil thick layer of OBIC 1306 high-density polyurethane foam, and a 50-mil thick moisture barrier layer of OBIC 1000 polyurea. This creates a 500-miil thick coating that provides chemical protection, leak protection, and structural support.
“The most impressive benefit of this 2.5 week project was the long-term cost-savings advantage as the customer did not have to purchase land or potentially spend millions of dollars in replacement costs,” said Derrick. “And with a 10-year labor and installation warranty on the OBIC Armor system, the package plant received a second life without the costs.”
The project was completed before the new school session began and so it gave them peace-of-mind for that school year and well into the future. In addition, the customer saw less run time on lift station hours due to the elimination of I&I issues.
If you’d like to learn more about the OBIC advantage, discuss your next project, or schedule a demo, please Contact Us or give us a call at 866-636-4854 and our team will be happy to help you!