Contamination Control 3A – Effects of Water

Contamination Control 3A – Effects of Water explores one of the most destructive and underestimated forms of lubricant contamination—water. Even small amounts of water in oil can lead to a cascade of chemical and mechanical failures, dramatically shortening equipment life and increasing maintenance costs.

This course offers a deep dive into the science behind water-induced failure modes, equipping you with the knowledge to recognise, prevent, and respond to water contamination. Each module covers a specific failure mechanism triggered or accelerated by the presence of water in a lubrication system.

You’ll gain practical insight into how water impacts viscosity, causes corrosion and cavitation, reduces additive performance, and leads to oxidative and hydrolytic breakdown. This knowledge is key to improving contamination control strategies, selecting appropriate lubricants, and maintaining asset reliability in water-sensitive systems such as hydraulics, turbines, and gearboxes.

By completing this course, you’ll be able to:

• Identify the many ways water contamination damages lubricants and machines
• Understand the chemical and physical mechanisms behind each failure mode
• Link specific symptoms (e.g. rust, foaming, cavitation) to root causes
• Support more effective oil selection, storage, and filtration strategies
• Build a stronger reliability case for investing in moisture control technologies