GRP solutions for water and wastewater
SGI Composites helps water and wastewater teams protect tanks, contain chemicals and improve access to treatment assets. We provide GRP tank and bund linings, bespoke covers, access systems, storage tanks, pipework and equipment housings for demanding operating environments.
Whether you are investigating a leaking tank, planning a treatment-site upgrade or replacing corroded access infrastructure, we start with the asset and its working conditions. The liquid, temperature, substrate, access and available shutdown window all shape the solution.
Keep asset condition, containment and access in the same conversation
Water-sector projects often involve more than one maintenance issue. A tank may need a new lining, its cover may be deteriorating and the access route may no longer suit the inspection task. Addressing those details together helps define a more useful scope of work.
We work with asset owners, treatment operators, engineering contractors and maintenance teams on new installations and refurbishment. Our composite manufacturing and lining capabilities allow us to consider both the equipment being protected and the infrastructure around it.
Glass-reinforced polymer, or GRP, is a glass-fibre composite whose resin system can be selected for the intended environment. For water and wastewater applications, the important question is how the finished system will perform under the actual exposure conditions.
Protecting treatment and storage assets
Our GRP tank lining service can refurbish suitable existing tanks by creating a protective internal barrier. The work can address deterioration associated with leakage, corrosion and chemical exposure, subject to assessment of the tank’s condition.
A successful specification begins with the contents. Tell us the liquid composition, operating temperature and cleaning regime, together with any existing coating or repair history. This allows the lining proposal to reflect the conditions the tank will face in service.
Refurbishment can avoid the work involved in removing and replacing an otherwise serviceable asset. The decision should follow an assessment of the structure, the cause of deterioration and the required future duty.
Secondary containment needs continuity across floors, walls, joints and penetrations. Our GRP bund lining protects suitable new or existing containment structures, with preparation and repairs forming part of the agreed scope.
For dosing rooms and other exposed process areas, wall and floor linings can extend the protective system across surrounding surfaces. Discuss chemical splash, cleaning and drainage arrangements with us so the proposal addresses the area’s use as well as its dimensions.
Our bespoke GRP tank and pit covers are manufactured around the opening and access requirements. Include the inspection points, lifting or removal needs and surrounding equipment when defining the brief.
For new process infrastructure, we also manufacture GRP storage tanks and filament wound GRP pipes. Pipework can be specified around pressure, diameter, resin and connection details. Send the process duty and interface information so these requirements can be reviewed together.
Chemical storage and equipment protection
The Safe Spill range includes IBC spill bunds and drum spill bunds for secondary containment around stored liquids. Select the unit around the containers, required capacity, stored substance and filling or dispensing arrangements.
Send the chemical safety data sheet with your enquiry. Compatibility should be checked against the specific product and operating conditions, particularly where chemicals are concentrated, mixed or stored at elevated temperatures.
Our GRP service cabinets house control, instrumentation and monitoring equipment. The cabinet layout should allow routine inspection, cable entry and equipment replacement without unnecessary obstruction.
For larger assemblies, modular enclosures provide scope to develop the housing around the equipment footprint and access needs. Discuss the environment, security and ventilation requirements at design stage.
Refurbishment planned around your operation
The work programme needs to account for how the asset will be taken out of service and returned to use. Before a lining or access project is scheduled, we need to understand the site’s operating constraints and the responsibilities of each party.
Useful information includes:
- Asset dimensions, construction material and condition photographs.
- Liquid contents, concentrations, temperatures and cleaning chemicals.
- Existing linings, repairs, leaks or inspection findings.
- Drain-down, cleaning, isolation and confined-space arrangements where relevant.
- The available shutdown window and required return-to-service date.
- Site access, permits and coordination with other contractors.
Safer movement around wet and exposed process areas
Inspection and maintenance routes need to work in the conditions operators encounter every day. Rain, washdown water and process contamination should all inform the choice of walking surface and layout.
Our GRP walkways and safety handrails can form defined routes around treatment assets. For crossings over pipework or changes in level, bespoke platforms help organise access around the equipment.
Safe Tread, part of SGI Composites, offers open mesh GRP grating for appropriate supported flooring applications. Its open construction allows drainage through the panel. For existing solid steps and walkways, stair tread covers and non-slip floor sheets provide alternative surface treatments.
Panel selection should follow the span, support arrangement, loading and exposure. A gritted finish also needs a suitable cleaning regime to remain effective.
Evidence from water and wastewater applications
At a food preparation facility, SGI refurbished and lined a dissolved air flotation, or DAF, tank. The work was completed during a bank holiday shutdown, providing an effluent-resistant lining while working within the facility’s operational programme.
SGI applied a GRP lining to bund floors, walls and an orthophosphoric acid dosing room at a water and wastewater management facility. The work addressed surface defects and created a continuous protective finish across the specified areas.
Talk to us about the asset, the process and the programme
Send your inspection notes, drawings or photographs and explain what needs to change. We will help define the information required for a quotation or site assessment.