Working in the construction industry involves many different factors that you need to consider before ever breaking ground. One of these factors includes dewatering the construction site. This process lowers the water table so that the foundations of your building will be more secure. It can also help keep your personnel and equipment safe on the job site because a wet work surface can cause slips and slides or even get equipment stuff.
What Is Dewatering?
Dewatering, or water control, is the process of using pumps to lower the water table for a more solid building foundation. These pumps are usually submerged before ground is broken. When you initially survey the land for your building, you will find whether you will need dewatering pumps before you begin construction. The survey can establish what the slope is, where the water table is and even what runoff cuts through the land in question. This can help you determine what type of pumps you will need on hand and how many.
Not all dewatering takes place before construction, however, as some hazards will not be seen until it rains and can cause problems moving and operating equipment on the site. This makes it a good idea to have pumps on hand throughout the process. The more readily available your pumps are to your work site, the less time you will lose after a storm or even after a burst water line.
Why Dewater You Sites?
When you are excavating a site to build a foundation, put in a basement or cellar, and you hit the water table, the construction site can be flooded, and it can be difficult to set a level foundation. Lowering the water table can also help keep your build from flooding in the future. You can get pumps from Thompson Pump and other retailers for all your construction needs. These pumps can help keep your work trenches dry and keep your people and equipment safe from sliding hazards.
The drier your work site is, the easier it will be to move supplies and equipment where it needs to go, be safe from slip and fall accidents, and even keep your items from rusting or rotting in standing water. This can help save you downtime on the project as well as money to replace any items that are damaged due to standing water. You can have pumps on hand to help deal with wet weather.
How Is It Done?
Most water control is done with a submersible pump that moves the water from the work area to an approved discharge location. If dewatering is not done properly, it can create more problems down the line such as improper erosion and water source contamination. Most state and local municipalities will have regulations regarding what needs to be dewatered and how to dispose of the discharge properly including whether a filtering system is required. This can reduce any problems with erosion and ensure that the lakes and rivers used for discharge are safe. Choosing the right pump for your needs can be as easy as comparing the specifications for different models to the needs of your specific site and the accompanying survey.
Pumps designed to dewater land are incredibly important in the construction industry. Not only do they make it easier to find a firm foundation for your buildings, but the pumps can also make it safer for your crew to work on the site during and after wet weather. You can find a variety of pumps for dewatering construction sites through various retailers online and even compare the specifications against your needs to find the right one.
