Downes Construction has performed a water test on the Bethel Police Department firing range.  The facility hasn't been used since officers moved into their new headquarters at the end of 2018 because of leaks.  When there's a driving rain, water cascades through the walls. 

A special coating was added to certain sections.  A test was done by spraying water on the outside wall for 15 minutes to simulate a rain storm and checking for leakage inside. This was done on several panels of the building. 

Downes Construction wanted to coat the whole building and then do the test, but they just did a section to see how well it would work because Benjamin Moore, the manufacturer, specified that the coating needed to cure 21 days before the water test.  The Public Building and Sites Commission noted that this product is not something that's off the shelf, it has to be ordered through the company. Commission chair Nancy Ryan says the test was done on a 10-foot wide section of wall, from the base to the roof flashing. 

In the ready room and storage section, there are water stains.  Those areas have drop ceilings.

Selectman Rich Straiton says the test was pretty successful.  Water didn't penetrate the wall in the coated areas, but within 5 minutes it went through the wall of untreated sections.  There are remaining issues at the bottom of the block wall, but he says the coating seems to have sealed up small cracks.

Ryan says there's a channel on the inside of the block wall that was created, about half inch or 3-quarters of an inch where the flashing goes in.  Downes is checking to see if the detail was done according to the specs, and if the water came in between the coated and non coated area, and into the channel.

Chief Pugner has observed in the past that if it's just raining down they don't get much coming in, but if there's a driving wind, there's infiltration.

The contractor has coatedthe firing range.  There is another 21 day wait period before performing a new water test.