Water tank sealing in Petromin Jeddah
Petromin is a newly planned quarter built on the site of the old quarantine zone beside Jeddah refinery, and houses low-income families as part of the city's urban renewal programme. Tanks here are relatively modern but the industrial environment affects water and air quality. Moisture from the refinery, rare rainfall and airborne salts all concentrate on the tanks.
-
Potable-rated materials
Linings and disinfectants cleared for drinking water tanks, not general-purpose products.
-
You get the downtime first
How many hours the tank is out of service, told before we start rather than after we finish.
-
A first-draw flush
We run the first draw off after refilling, and the tank is not handed back until the water runs clear.
-
Ground and roof tanks
Villas, apartment blocks and premises that need a written record of each visit.
Why the job is different in Petromin
Petromin tanks were built between the 1990s and early 2000s and are now thirty years old or more. Leaks and cracks are visible in many. The method is set out in full on Water tank sealing in detail.
Uniform housing tanks
Petromin housing was built to a standard design with identical tank sizes and specifications. Most tanks were constructed at the same time and fail in similar ways.
Industrial environment and airborne salts
Jeddah refinery releases industrial vapours and moisture across the district. Salts and chemical gases corrode tank surfaces faster than in other areas.
High-density population and constant water pressure
Petromin residents are dense and water use is continuous and heavy. Repeated pressure stress affects the metal base and walls.
The character of Petromin
New development: ongoing construction and vacant plots between the homes
Petromin is uniform low-income housing with high population density, and all tanks follow the same standard design. Treatment focuses on heavy use, constant pressure, and protection against external contamination from the nearby refinery.
What we read before any material is opened
A south Jeddah quarter adjacent to Jeddah oil refinery, built on land formerly known as Al Karantina, the old quarantine zone. Low-income housing and a main street facing the refinery perimeter fence.
Cracking in the wall
Cracks begin from constant water pressure, dense population and heavy daily use.
The floor to wall joint
Pipe openings and valves in standard designs leak in similar ways and places.
The condition of the old lining
The floor-to-wall joint needs special care because population pressure is continuous and unrelenting.
Sediment and scale
Internal humidity is very high from constant use and steam from communal bathrooms and informal kitchens.
The pipe entries
Ground foundation beneath tanks may be unstable if built on old quarantine zone soil.
The hatch and the vent
Industrial vapours from the refinery deposit on external surfaces and cause rapid staining and cracking patterns.
How we work
-
1
Inspect with the tank empty
We drain it and read the surface dry: whether the water leaves through a crack, a joint or a pipe collar, and what the outer face of the wall and the ceiling below are telling us. A level test with the valves closed separates a leaking tank from leaking pipework.
-
2
Clean and prepare the substrate
Sediment out, a high pressure wash, the loose old lining and the weak surface layer of the concrete taken back, then dried. The material grips sound substrate and nothing else.
-
3
Make the cracks and joints good
Cracks are chased out and filled with a repair mortar, a cove is formed where the floor meets the wall, and every pipe collar is treated on its own.
-
4
Lining, fill test, sterilisation
Successive coats, each run across the one beneath it, on the face the water touches. Then a full cure, a fill with the level watched, and sterilisation with the first fill run to waste before the tank returns to use.
What water tank sealing includes
-
Finding where the water leaves
Carried out drained and dry: cracks, joints, pipe collars and the outer face of the wall.
-
Draining and sediment removal
The last of the water and the settled layer on the floor come out, because a lining does not stick over sediment.
-
Cracks and joints made good
The crack opened and filled, a cove formed at the floor to wall junction, and each pipe entry worked separately.
-
Lining coats on the water face
More than one coat, each crossing the one below, in material made for drinking water tanks rather than roof waterproofing.
-
Curing, fill test and sterilisation
The material is left to cure, the tank is filled and the level watched, then sterilised and the first fill run to waste. How long the cure takes follows the material and the weather, and we tell you before the date so you can plan around the supply.
-
A follow-up level check
We come back once it is in service to read the level and check the outer face, because any remaining loss shows up then rather than on the day of the work.
What is different about Al Jamiah Sub-Municipality
Al Jamiah sub municipality spans the older south of Jeddah. Planned districts such as Al Fayha, Al Thaghr and Madain Al Fahd sit beside crowded popular quarters like the Nazlahs and Al Quraiyat, and beside cleared or clearing land in Ghulail, Petromin and Al Thaalibah awaiting redevelopment. Apartment buildings stand close together above dense runs of shops and restaurants along Old Makkah Road and Prince Majid Road. Drainage in the popular quarters is ageing, humid air drifts in from the port and refinery side to the west, and the flat low lying ground holds rainwater in narrow streets.
Questions about this district
Are Petromin tanks worse than elsewhere because of the refinery?
Yes. Industrial environment causes faster corrosion. Vapours and airborne salts weaken the outer tank surface.
Does Petromin water need extra filters after tank sealing?
Filtration is the water company's responsibility. Tank sealing only prevents external leakage.
Most tanks were built at the same time - do we need coordinated district treatment?
It may help with planning and cost. Treating one or two first will show whether wider district action is needed.
What if refinery water has entered the tank?
If external seepage enters through cracks, full sealing stops it. Water testing may be wise before resuming drinking use.
Do residents complain of water odour from refinery proximity?
That may be external contamination seeping in. Full tank sealing protects against outside pollutants.
Do residents need to relocate during repair?
Not necessarily. We drain and repair as quickly as possible. A small tank may need only a few hours.
How much does water tank sealing in Petromin cost?
It is set after the inspection, because the price follows the type of infestation, the size of the space, how far it has spread and the number of visits it needs. Send a photo and a description on WhatsApp and we will give you an estimate before we reach Petromin.
Nearby districts we cover
Other services in Petromin
Other services we provide to residents of Petromin.
-
Water tanks
Water tank cleaning
-
Water tanks
Water tank sterilization
-
Water tanks
Tank leak repair
-
Residential
Cockroach control
Need water tank sealing in Petromin? Tell us what you saw and we will tell you what it needs
We reach Petromin at a time we agree, and you get the full cost before we start.