Corrosion is a persistent threat to the pump systems that keep Arizona’s water and wastewater infrastructure running. For municipal operators managing water treatment plants, lift stations, and distribution networks, the challenge is especially acute. The fluids moving through these systems — treated wastewater, chlorinated water, chemical feed lines — can be aggressive, and the consequences of a pump failure extend well beyond the equipment itself.
When a lift station pump fails unexpectedly, a community’s wastewater system backs up. When a water distribution pump goes down during peak summer demand in the Southwest, the impact is immediate and visible. Damage often develops gradually, making it difficult to recognize until performance declines or a component fails — and by that point, facilities may be facing expensive emergency repairs, regulatory pressure, and public scrutiny.
Corrosion monitoring provides a proactive alternative. By tracking how quickly materials are deteriorating, maintenance teams can identify changing conditions and intervene before equipment integrity is compromised. At DXP Hennesy, corrosion monitoring is an important part of a broader reliability strategy designed to protect the critical pump assets Arizona communities depend on.
Why Corrosion Deserves Close Attention in Municipal Systems
Corrosion can affect nearly every wetted component within a pump system. Pump casings and impellers may experience material loss that changes hydraulic performance. Shafts and other critical components can weaken over time, while corrosion around sealing surfaces may contribute to leakage.
For municipal operators, this is compounded by the variability of what flows through the system. Water chemistry in Arizona communities can shift with seasonal changes, new source blending, or adjustments to treatment chemistry. A pump that performed reliably for years may begin experiencing problems after a change in disinfectant dosing or after the utility begins drawing from a different groundwater source.
Waiting until visible damage appears can leave maintenance teams reacting to a problem that has been developing for months — or longer. With staffing constraints common at smaller Arizona utilities, there is rarely the bandwidth to absorb an unplanned equipment crisis. Monitoring provides greater visibility into what is happening before significant damage occurs.
Understanding Corrosion Monitoring
Corrosion monitoring uses inspections, measurements, or specialized instrumentation to evaluate material degradation over time. The goal is to establish trends rather than relying on a single observation.
Corrosion coupons are one common approach. These samples are exposed to the process environment and periodically inspected to determine material loss. Electronic probes can provide additional insight into changing corrosion activity. Ultrasonic thickness measurements are also useful for tracking wall loss in pump components and associated piping — particularly valuable for aging infrastructure where original wall thickness may already be reduced.
Regular visual inspections remain valuable as well. Changes in surface condition can help identify localized corrosion or other damage that may require further investigation.
When these methods are used consistently, facilities gain a clearer picture of how quickly equipment is deteriorating and whether operating conditions are becoming more aggressive.
Turning Monitoring Data into Action
Collecting corrosion data provides little value unless it leads to better maintenance and engineering decisions. Once a trend is established, teams can determine whether current materials and operating practices are providing adequate protection.
If corrosion rates begin increasing, the first step should be identifying what changed. The process fluid may have become more aggressive, or operating conditions may be contributing to accelerated deterioration. For municipal operators, this often points to something upstream — a change in source water, a shift in treatment chemistry, or seasonal variation in influent characteristics. Understanding the cause allows the facility to select an appropriate response rather than repeatedly replacing damaged components.
Mitigation may involve changing pump materials or applying protective coatings. In other situations, modifying operating conditions or improving chemical treatment can slow deterioration. The best approach depends on both the corrosion mechanism and the application.
Improving Maintenance Planning
Corrosion monitoring also allows maintenance teams to plan repairs more effectively. Instead of replacing components according to arbitrary schedules, facilities can use actual condition data to estimate when intervention will be necessary.
For Arizona municipalities operating under tight maintenance budgets and lean staffing, this matters. Planned work is far less disruptive and less expensive than emergency response. Maintenance can be coordinated with planned outages, which limits service disruption and allows parts to be sourced in advance — avoiding the premium costs of expedited emergency procurement.
Historical corrosion data can also inform future equipment selection. If certain materials consistently perform poorly in a specific application or with a particular water chemistry, that information can guide upgrades when pumps are repaired or replaced.
A Proactive Approach to Corrosion Control
Corrosion cannot always be eliminated, but its impact can be managed. Monitoring gives facilities the information needed to understand deterioration and take action before reliability is compromised.
DXP Hennesy has served Arizona’s municipal water and wastewater community since 1986. We help customers evaluate pump materials, operating conditions, and equipment performance to develop solutions for the challenging environments common in Southwest water infrastructure. If corrosion is contributing to recurring repairs or shortened equipment life at your facility, contact DXP Hennesy to discuss strategies for protecting your pump systems and improving long-term reliability.
