An innovative water management solution has become the product of choice in a project designed to reduce the risk of flooding to a residential area in Norfolk.
The £340k project in Cromer is the second flood alleviation scheme - delivered by Barhale Construction on behalf of Anglian Water Services - to involve the use of Weholite - a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe manufactured by Asset international Ltd.
Part of the Anglian Water AMP4 investment programme, Asset’s solution is designed to attenuate and control the excess flow of storm water running down to the residential area of Barclay Close from a commercial park/centre situated above on raised land.
Weholite became the product of choice after Anglian Water Services utilised the product in a similar project in March 2007, which subsequently gained recognition as runner up at the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) AGM in May 2007
David Chadwick, sub programme delivery manager of the Anglian Water @ One Alliance, commented: “Flood alleviation is high on the agenda of our customers and we are eager to develop more efficient solutions such as Weholite pipes as part of our major investment programme in this area.
“Asset’s bespoke product provided the ideal solution for both flood alleviation schemes in Cromer. In addition to reducing our project time-frame, we gained an estimated 30% cost saving overall”.
Working in partnership with the flooding sub programme design team of The@One Alliance - a collaborative organisation formed to deliver the AMP4 programme - Asset was commissioned to design a bespoke off-line storage tank with flow control devices
The solution consisted of two 2,100mm diameter Weholite tanks which will contain water diverted from an existing manhole via a new sewer, and will have a capacity of 480m3 of water when full.
During periods of heavy rain, water will be stored in the tank and released by gravity at a controlled rate through a 40 ltr/sec Hydroslide valve, when the storm abates.
For this specific project, it was estimated that the volume of trucks required to deliver and off-load the materials would be reduced from 50 to eight by using Weholite, proving less disruptive to the surrounding environment and residential area during construction. Disturbance to the community was also significantly reduced as one lane of the neighbouring road remained open throughout the project.
The amount of land available for the project restricted use of materials and solutions extensively. The Weholite tank requiring only 315m², provided a tangible solution for various reasons, as Andy Pearce of Barhale Construction, explained: “The tank provided significant labour, installation time and cost savings, with an estimated three-fold reduction compared with traditional materials such as pre-cast concrete.
“Health and safety was also a key factor. The product pre-fabricated and then joined on-site, decreased the amount of time workers spent in the trenches and in confined spaces”.
Simon Thomas, managing director of Asset, based in Newport, South Wales, commented on the benefits of utilising Weholite, compared with traditional materials such as concrete. He said: “Our product is significantly lighter than other materials, providing benefits to the water company in terms of time and cost savings, and to the contractor during transportation and installation of the pipes.
“By working in partnership with water companies such as Anglian Water Services, we aim to provide durable and sustainable solutions to water infrastructure issues across the UK. Our increasing partnerships with water companies and flood alleviation schemes is testament to the strength and reliability of the Weholite product”.
| 
|
