Water and Effluent Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/300621
Somerset flooding Following torrential rain in southern England earlier this year, thousands of businesses and residents were affected by the subsequent flooding. Sykes Pumps were extremely busy working on emergency projects throughout the period, in a desperate attempt to reduce the impact of unprecedented quantities of rainfall. Their instant deployment of pumps throughout the region helped limit damage to offices, warehouses and factories – saving business-owners thousands of pounds. Despite demand being at its peak, they always had sufficient stock to cope with the adverse weather. Devon boatyard A boatyard on the Devonshire coast required dredging and contacted Sykes with this process in mind. Dredging is a complicated procedure whereby sediment on the bottom of the sea is gathered up and redistributed. Silt is brought into the marina by tidal changes and needs to be removed to prevent build-up over a period of time. This procedure is necessary to protect water quality and the life present within it, as well as maintain water channels for craft using the quay. Sykes Pumps supplied a high pressure submersible pump coupled with two 4m pipes in order to effectively dredge the area. The project was expected to last six weeks but was actually fully complete in just four – saving the customer a substantial amount of money. Derbyshire regeneration project A £35 million restoration development in Derbyshire required the controlled flow of water from a local spring, in order to avert flooding. However, to ensure the site's foundations didn't dry out completely, Sykes maintained a minimal flow of water to keep the ground suitably moist. The project itself involved the transformation of a Grade I listed building, meaning engineers had to be extremely cautious when working in such a controlled environment. Five submersible pumps and four drainage pumps were installed on site, purposely chosen because of their excellent capacity and adaptability to surroundings. Despite the intricate nature of the assignment, it was completed well within deadline. This allowed the next stage of construction to take place ahead of schedule. Anaerobic digestion system When a waste water processing facility suffered pump failure during an operation, a substitute was sought to ensure its continued operation. The situation required an urgent response to prevent a build up in the system. A Sykes technician immediately visited the location to determine which equipment was required, with the plant's productivity the sole consideration. Two electric submersible units were subsequently delivered and installed – remaining on site to this day, such was their effectiveness. Electric substation in Berkshire The recent floods in southern England nearly caused 40,000 homes and businesses in Berkshire to lose their electricity supply. Heavy rainfall had engulfed a substation in the county, meaning urgent action was required to salvage a much- needed power source. A Sykes Pumps engineer visited the site to ascertain what equipment was required to supplement the client's existing pumps. Three submersible units were chosen because they are capable of large scale dewatering and the ground conditions were not conducive to surface mounted pumps. These were dispatched the same day Sykes were contacted, instantly helping to reduce the effects of flooding. The client was very satisfied with the efficiency of Sykes' service and as such have committed to an extended period of hire. Sykes Pumps: Application in Action Sykes Pumps are adept at responding to emergencies and recent events across the country have seen them providing equipment to limit extensive flood damage. Their pumps have been utilised not just to move water but also to sediment and provide a replacement to permanently installed units, which have broken down during use. Recent assignments have demonstrated Sykes' ability to work in all conceivable environments and conditions. They have operated under dangerous conditions, on extremely technical projects with constant emphasis on speed and response and on requirements at the most anti-social of hours. Their immediate reaction has, in many cases, led to clients saving money and reverting back to fully-functional businesses more quickly than originally envisaged. 0800 211 611 sykes-pumps.com 3 ASG_WET_news_cover.indd 3 24/03/2014 12:24