Posted on August 1, 2022 by Brent Phillips

A NACE inspector’s role is to protect your town’s water tower by ensuring it continues functioning and safeguarding the emergency water supply. But how NACE inspectors achieve such a lofty goal is no small feat.

Their role helps city water managers achieve the impossible by assessing and inspecting a critical element on the interior and exterior of the water storage tower—the coating. NACE Inspectors must carefully check, test, and record their findings, which are subsequently reported to city water authorities.

They look for problems associated with:

• Coating cracks or chips
• Signs of Corrosion
• Signs of weakness at tank access points
• Water contamination

NACE Coatings Inspector Program

The NACE Coating Inspector Program (CIP) is used to examine and safeguard the protective coatings on a town water tower. In addition, third-party organizations complete NACE inspections to ensure the mechanical integrity of a water tower remains within acceptable limits or needs necessary repair.

When a NACE inspector completes an evaluation, the city water manager receives a detailed report on the integrity of that town’s most precious asset. 

NACE CIP Evaluations

Each NACE CIP evaluation is a complete series of observable, tested, verifiable, and reportable information on the integrity of a town’s water assets. The purpose of the assessment through a third party is that NACE CIP Inspectors carry specific credentials to help city managers protect the integrity of a town’s water assets. Each NACE CIP Inspector will retain a certification of Level 1, 2, or 3.

NACE Coating Inspector Level 1

Every NACE Coating Inspector Level 1 holds a three-year certification verified through AMPP Certification Portal. In addition, each level 1 inspector may conduct various tests depending on the scope of work on coating specifications for individual projects. 

Although supervisor and safety are not considered part of a Level 1 Inspector’s responsibilities, it is within the scope of their duties to ensure the entire coating team is highly functional.

In short, a NACE Coating Inspector Level 1 operates as a solution-oriented communicator. That ensures project standards are completed to coating specifications, which are then recorded and reported to the city water manager based on a pre-arranged agreement.

NACE Coating Inspector Level 2

A NACE Coating Inspector Level 2 builds on Level 1 and has advanced skills and knowledge of corrosive processes on substrates in field operations. That requires Level 2 Inspectors to monitor environmental controls, like dehumidification, and look for potential problems.

Moreover, NACE Coating Inspectors Level 2 are responsible for the scope of work that directly involves coating processes onto any substrate within those environmental controls. Otherwise, NACE Coating Inspector Level 3 is responsible for site supervision of NACE Coating Inspectors Level 1 and 2 competencies.

Each NACE Inspector Level ensures the integrity of a NACE inspection quality and assurance to safeguard a town’s water. 

Safeguarding a Town’s Asset Management

The Cunningham team is dedicated to helping city water managers protect a town’s asset management from tank failures. Their NACE inspectors hold core competency certifications for Level 1 and 2 inspectors.

Contact Cunningham today to speak with a Water Tank Specialist or schedule a NACE CIP evaluation. Your best solution to safeguarding your town’s water tower.

Cunningham is centrally located in Southwest Missouri and serves communities from coast to coast. Call Cunningham today at (620) 848-3030.