The water tower overlooking Interstate 80 will be draped in plastic for about three months beginning in July while contract workers sandblast, repaint and do other maintenance work.
Facilities Services recently awarded a $684,000 contract to Robsion-Prezios Inc. to remove the old lead-based paint from the 156-foot tower and repaint it inside and out.
As part of the project, the contractor will also make minor structural repairs and other modifications to bring the tower into compliance with current worker-safety standards.
A 1998 inspection, which included sending a specially trained scuba diver inside the elevated tank, confirmed the need for this work to maintain safe long-term operation of the campus water supply system, said David Phillips, Facilities Services engineer.
Domestic Water Tower No. 1, as it’s formally known, has been a familiar area landmark since its construction in 1967.
The tower, with a storage capacity of 200,000 gallons, helps maintain consistent pressure in the campus’s domestic water-supply system and helps meet peak water demands.
Temporary pressure-control systems and stand-by wells have been prepared to prevent any disruption in service to the campus while the tower maintenance work is being done, Phillips said.
Scaffolding will be installed starting in July. The freshly painted tower should be unveiled by October, looking much like it does now -- white with "UC Davis" written in blue.
Phillips said the plastic wrapping is necessary to contain and collect the old lead-base paint as workers sandblast down to the bare metal. Lead posses a threat to human health and the environment.
Special techniques will be used to reduce the concentration of lead in the waste. The contractor will take the waste off-campus for disposal or recycling. Typically, the treated waste is nonhazardous and can be recycled as a concrete mix additive. All new paint will be lead-free.
State and federal regulations require workers to receive special training and certifications to perform this type of work in a safe and environmentally protective manner.
Facilities Services has hired two independent inspectors to monitor the work to ensure compliance with all applicable requirements.
For more information, contact Phillips at (530) 754-8214.