Water Treatment Plant Construction: Why Proper Fastener Selection Matters

The design and construction of water treatment facilities is an intricate process. To facilitate this, even the most seemingly minor decisions need to be well thought out. A good example of this is the types of fasteners you use for the job. On the surface, the types of fasteners you use for the job might not seem to matter much. However, it’s important to always try and use the right ones, since not doing so could end up having a number of consequences. Some of the most common of these include:


An increase in the risk of contamination of the water
There are some types of fasteners that might be made of a material that will seep into the water, thereby contaminating it. This means that the water may be less than ideal for use in a wide range of activities, including for human consumption and for some types of manufacturing. To avoid this, it’s always wise to insist on the use of fasteners that are designed for this type of use.
Lower reliability of the facility
If you use the wrong types of fasteners for things such as putting together massive water tanks, it might turn out to be less than ideal in terms of ensuring that they last long. The commonest problem you are likely to face is the failure of such fasteners, which could cause leaks or bursting of the water tanks. The fact that this might cause damage to other facilities around means that this is something that you need to avoid as much as possible.
The legal issues
There are times when the way in which the water treatment plant is constructed will result in legal issues in future. For instance, if it turns out that you used fasteners and materials that can contaminate the water with lead, you may end up being the subject of a massive lawsuit.
Higher maintenance costs
If you end up using fasteners and materials that don’t last long, you will need to keep replacing them on a regular basis, and this in turn means that you will end up spending more on them. Making sure that you get it right the first time is therefore one of the best cost saving measures you can put in place. For instance, using aluminum carriage bolts which are resistant to corrosion is highly encouraged in such an environment.
High installation costs
In some cases, choosing the wrong types of fasteners and materials can also lead to unnecessarily high installation costs. An example of this is when you use Inconel hex tap bolts which are meant for aerospace design, and which might not be completely suitable for use in a water treatment plant.
As you can see, the selection of the right fasteners and materials is something that you need to think through thoroughly. It often has a huge influence on how successful the construction will be, and how much value for money you will end up getting in the long run.