Asbestos Cement Water Tank Removal Cost Guide for 2024

Why should I remove my asbestos cement water tank?

Asbestos cement water tanks prior to the year 2000 were considered to be a miracle product. Water resistant, heat resistant, hard wearing, inexpensive and had a very long-life span. Asbestos cement water tanks were used throughout the UK in large numbers in both domestic and commercial premises.

From around the 1930s through to the year 2000 asbestos cement water tanks were the standard option. As well as being an inexpensive great product had an abundant supply. This made them very popular.

The downside was that these water tanks contained asbestos. A product that if inhaled can cause fatal disease.

If your asbestos cement water tank is damaged and needs maintenance, it is very difficult to undertake repairs of a potentially deadly material. This is why people are now choosing to have their tanks upgraded to a more modern alternative and having their old asbestos cement water tanks removed.

How much does asbestos water tank removal cost?

How much an asbestos cement water tank will cost to remove will depend on its size. Your first job is to measure the size of your asbestos water tank.

It is common that asbestos cement water tanks were installed at the construction phase of a building. Asbestos cement water tanks are usually located in a loft or other type of void. It is usual that the void would have been sealed after the installation of the water tank. This leads to a scenario where the asbestos water tank is far larger than any access or loft hatch. This presents a challenge for the removal of the asbestos tank.

You will need to measure any access hatches to see if they are big enough for the asbestos water tank to go through. If they are not, then the asbestos cement water tank will require controlled breakage to enable it to be removed and disposed of. This will have an effect on the cost of the asbestos removal cost.

The costs are based on a removal team being in the vicinity of your requirement. This is to reduce the cost so that the team can undertake the removal of your asbestos on the same day as another asbestos removal project. If an asbestos water tank removal project was given a cost as a one-off project, it would be at an increased price. Speak to a member of the team to check.

These are minimum costs based on standard asbestos cement water tank removal. The costs are based on having good access to the water tank location with a clear area to complete the work. The cost is also based on the water tank being empty and disconnected from the relevant services. If the asbestos cement tank is still live and requires emptying followed by disconnection speak to a member of the team for an appropriate cost.

Where controlled breakage of the asbestos cement water tank is required due to limited access through a loft or void access hatch it must be undertaken in full accordance with relevant asbestos legislation. The technique is to fully enclose the asbestos cement water tank in thick 1000-gauge polyethene covering prior to careful breakage with hand tools. The asbestos cement water tank is coated in an asbestos fibre suppressant prior to wrapping. The fibre suppressant and wrapping eliminates the risk of asbestos fibre or debris spread from the breakage. The broken water tank in the polythene is then placed into an additional polythene covering and carefully handled out ready for appropriate disposal.

Do I need an asbestos survey?

Visual identification of an asbestos cement water tank is relatively easy for a trained asbestos professional. If you send good photographs to a member of the team, they will be able to help you determine if additional testing or sampling would be required. If you do need additional identification this would be via specific asbestos sampling.

Specific sampling is usually enough to be able to identify basic requirements when it comes to the safe removal of asbestos cement water tanks. However, if it is a larger building or part of a larger project then an asbestos survey may be needed. If you are not sure speak to a member of our team who will be happy to advise you.

What does an asbestos cement water tank removal include?

You should check to ensure that the company you are using is an asbestos professional. The easiest way to be sure is to only use an HSE licensed asbestos removal company. If you do this then the asbestos cement water tank removal will include:

• A trained asbestos team with the right protection
• Covering of any areas that need protecting
• Barriers to keep people out of the work area
• Safe access equipment for high level work
• Usage of sprayers with special liquid to control asbestos dust
• Careful controlled breakage of the water tank if needed
• Appropriate storage and transport of asbestos waste
• A final detailed clean of the work area
• On completion an asbestos waste certificate

There is much more to the asbestos cement water tank removal than those listed. Therefore, asbestos cement water tank removal should be carried out by professionals.

Can I remove the asbestos cement water tank myself?

Asbestos is hazardous and only those with the correct training and safety equipment should attempt to remove it.

All in all, it is not recommended that you try and remove an asbestos cement water tank yourself. You will not have the training or the safety equipment. You could potentially put yourself and others at risk. That could be a legal concern. If you did decide to do it yourself, if you were for instance fully trained and had the correct equipment, you would still have to legally dispose of the asbestos waste.

Asbestos waste disposal is very expensive. Just the waste from the removal of your asbestos water tank is a big part of any professional’s cost. In fact, if you work out your own time and the cost of equipment, tools etc. it would be more cost effective to let a professional who is geared up for the work to do it. It is safer and easier to leave it to the professionals.