Water Board Approves $335K on New Coating for Water Tanks

The Ramona Municipal Water Board approved of authorizing a coating company to replace protective sealant in two of the water district's tanks last Tuesday, which should cost around $335,430.

According to the district, both the Poway Forebay tank and Julian tank are in need of new coating. In 2012, the district said, Aquatic Inspections determined that both tanks needed to be recoated to address corrosion issues.

Six companies bid for each coating project, with J. Colon Coatings, Inc. winning both bids, District Engineer Michael Metts said.

The district said J. Colon Coatings came in nearly $100,000 less than the next highest bidder for the Julian tank, bidding just $112,035 for the project. The company bid $223,395 for coating the Poway tank.

According to RMWD General Manager David Barnum, rates will not go up due to this project, as it was budgeted in last fiscal year's budget for $350,000 — about $14,600 more than what J. Colon Coatings bid.

District Superintendent Johnny Brean told the board that each tank will be drained one at a time and can be taken out of service "pretty easily."

"They operate separately," Brean said. "They aren't dependent on each other."

Brean said Julian's tank will be drained in August or September of this year, and Poway's tank will be drained in January/February 2014, during the "off" season for wildfires.

Each tank should be out of service for about 45 days, Brean said, and will have a one-year warranty on the coating.

The water board approved to award J. Colon Coatings with the two-tank job 4-0, with Director Kit Kesinger absent at the July 9 meeting.