Not All Stainless Steel Resists Corrosion

By Jon C. Lattin, CSI, CCPR, Corrosion Technology Systems and John E. Davis, Marketing Specialist, Sauereisen, Inc.

For Municipalities and Municipal Utilities Authorities struggling to deal with corrosion issues, knowing where to turn when faced with these challenges can be daunting. Logan Township Municipal Utilities Authority, of NJ was faced with such problems when it was discovered that a five year old stainless steel headworks tank at their wastewater treatment facility was experiencing extreme Microbiological Induced Corrosion (MIC) at the waterline with corrosion severe enough to open holes through the tank wall.  Furthermore, the 304 stainless steel tank was no longer covered by the tank manufacturer’s warranty and the manufacturer didn’t offer any satisfactory solutions to rectify the corrosion issues. The problem became even more complicated for Logan Township MUA when a selected lining system was discontinued by the coatings manufacturer just one week before the installation was to take place. Unsure of where to go next, Corrosion Technology Systems, Inc., manufacturer’s representative for Sauereisen Inc. of Pittsburgh, PA was contacted by Logan Township Municipal Utility Authority to assist the MUA in identifying an engineered solution, recommending a quality contractor/applicator and to provide on-site support to ensure the project was completed successfully.