In today’s university and college campus environment, water systems are more than just plumbing. They are the lifeline of every building, lab, dormitory, and athletic facility. From cooling towers that regulate classroom temperatures to the boilers that heat dorm showers in winter, these systems must perform flawlessly every day. But behind that performance is a hidden vulnerability: corrosion driven by unmonitored pH levels and outdated monitoring practices.

As part of EAI’s campaign, “The Water Industry is All Industry,” we’re spotlighting how technical gaps in corrosion monitoring can escalate into serious risks for university systems. The stakes are even higher as federal government standards tighten, sustainability mandates expand, and international students, faculty, and campus administration increasingly demand reliable infrastructure.

Modern universities must make informed decisions about how they perform corrosion monitoring in their water networks. In this article, we explore how strategic corrosion monitoring helps protect campus systems, extend asset life, and safeguard the investments that keep higher ed operations running smoothly.

Understanding Corrosion in Multi-Loop Systems

University campuses often rely on multi-loop water systems to meet the varied needs of their infrastructure. Separate loops may supply chilled water resources to lecture halls, heated water to dormitories, and treated water to laboratories. This distributed system structure improves energy efficiency and supports flexible operation, but it also creates blind spots. This is especially the case when corrosion monitoring or visual inspections is inconsistent or nonexistent.

Corrosion typically occurs when water chemistry drifts out of balance. Factors like temperature swings, variable flow rates, and chemical dosing fluctuations can all affect pH levels, which in turn influence how aggressively water interacts with system materials. If left unchecked, corrosion can quietly degrade piping and equipment, undermining both performance and mechanical integrity.

Today’s corrosion monitoring tools such as electrical resistance probes, corrosion coupons, and linear polarization resistance sensors help campus facility teams detect early-stage deterioration. These technologies, combined with online ultrasonic thickness sensors, provide actionable data about wall thickness, corrosion rates, and system stability across each loop and can support infrastructure health and environmental safety across the campus.

Yet despite these advancements, many colleges still depend on periodic inspections and manual reports. Without integrated, real-time oversight, the broader network of loops at a college may become vulnerable to damage. This impacts student comfort, system efficiency, and long-term resource planning.

Why pH Matters: Science and Standards

While pH is often treated as just another metric on a lab report, it remains a critical indicator of system stability, corrosion potential, and overall water quality. In multi-loop campus system processes, even slight variations in pH can create corrosive environments especially in loops exposed to mixed metals, elevated temperatures, or seasonal stagnation. Left unaddressed, these conditions compromise infrastructure and increase the risk to safety for students and faculty alike.

According to the EPA’s Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment Evaluation guidance, effective corrosion monitoring relies on managing pH alongside alkalinity and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). These three parameters help determine how likely a system is to form protective scale—and whether it can resist metal leaching and internal degradation. Ideal pH ranges for corrosion control typically fall between 7.2 and 8.5, depending on system composition and treatment goals.

To maintain system balance, universities must apply targeted measures:

• Use of phosphate-based corrosion inhibitors to stabilize water chemistry.
• Custom treatment programs based on pipe material, temperature profiles, and flow rates.
• Technologies that allow real-time insight to support informed decisions about dosing and system corrections.

Alternative process techniques like aeration and limestone contactors are sometimes used for pH control in smaller systems. However, these methods require precise influent control and aren’t always suited for large or decentralized higher ed campuses, where variability is the norm.

Ultimately, corrosion control is mostly about applying the right tools, strategies, and resources across every loop to maintain safe, sustainable operation.

Consequences of Unmonitored Corrosion

When corrosion goes undetected in a campus’s water system, the damage often isn’t visible until it’s too late. A slow drop in wall thickness, a microscopic crack in a heat exchanger tube, or elevated iron levels in the return line may all seem minor in isolation. But collectively, they point to a much larger issue: unmonitored corrosion compromising the system’s mechanical integrity and safety.

Research presented in the JPT journal highlighted a corrosion failure in a cooling water system caused by inadequate pH monitoring and poor microbial control. This results in leaking exchangers, contaminated loops, and an expensive investigation which reveals just how critical early detection really is. The same vulnerabilities apply to university campuses where closed-loop systems serve energy-critical facility processes like data centers, labs, and central plants.

Unchecked corrosion leads to challenges that require a diversity of solutions :

• Erosion and pressure loss in pipes and exchangers
• Higher chemical and repair costs
• Reduced operational efficiency
• Increased risk of leaks in systems carrying potable water, heating fluids, or lab-grade water
• Regulatory compliance challenges, especially around inspection and system reliability

How EAI Supports the Higher Education Industry

At EAI, we understand that corrosion can be a risk to the long-term health of your campus infrastructure. That’s why we partner with colleges and universities to implement corrosion monitoring and data management strategies that go beyond reactive fixes and help facilities teams stay ahead of the problem.

Our approach begins with identifying the unique characteristics of each system, whether it’s a closed-loop HVAC circuit in a lecture hall, a high-pressure boiler in a dormitory, or a lab’s specialized cooling system. From there, we deliver tailored solutions that include:

• Real-time pH and corrosion tracking with electrical resistance and linear polarization resistance sensors
• Integration of online ultrasonic thickness sensors to monitor system wall thickness and spot early-stage erosion
• Chemical programs designed to prevent corrosion while maintaining maximum efficiency
• Automated treatment and control systems for continuous monitoring of critical parameters like alkalinity, conductivity, and inhibitor residuals
• Training and support to help facility teams manage evolving system demands with confidence

Our work across higher education campuses spans cooling towers, potable water treatment, boiler systems, and wastewater reuse. Through advanced technology, decades of expertise, and a commitment to sustainability, we help colleges protect their infrastructure and stay ahead of trends while delivering consistent system performance.

Explore our Water Treatment for Higher Education Campuses.

A Look Ahead: Monitoring Is the Future of Prevention

In the evolving landscape of campus facility management, reactive maintenance is no longer enough. Universities will have to adopt smarter strategies that prioritize real-time data, predictive insight, and continuous protection.

Corrosion monitoring is one of the clearest paths forward. It gives facility teams the ability to track chemical balance, detect early warning signs, and adjust treatment programs before damage occurs. Combined with corrosion-resistant materials, automated controls, and campus-wide visibility, this approach transforms corrosion control from a recurring headache into a managed, predictable process.

The water industry has already embraced these tools across sectors like power generation, chemical processing, and oil and gas, and higher education is next. With the right systems in place, universities can not only reduce long-term costs and maintenance risks, but also demonstrate leadership in sustainable water management.

EAI is here to support that future. Contact us for consultation or request of additional information.