Underground but not forgotten

Ben Puddy, Product Manager at Hydro International discusses the barriers and solutions to the maintenance of below ground stormwater management assets.

Setting the scene

Over the last 40 years, Hydro International has influenced and been part of the shift from combined sewers taking all flows from developments, both foul and surface water, to the separation of stormwater from foul and the uptake of source control, which has evolved into Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). Over the decades many flow controls, storage/infiltration tanks and treatment systems have been installed below ground.

The importance of maintenance

Once the drainage is installed and handed over to the owner/end user, what happens then? Are these systems being maintained or are some lost and forgotten after handover?

The owners could be Local Authorities for streets, local roads and town infrastructure, National Highways for the Strategic Road Network and, for some developments, maintenance may fall to a management company and/or subcontractor.

Regardless of who owns or is maintaining the drainage system, if you don’t know that you have an asset, the chances of it being maintained are slim. Costs for maintenance can also be restrictive, leading to increased intervals between servicing, to the detriment of the drainage system’s performance.

How can we make sure these assets aren't forgotten?

Innovation in technology provides us with the answer. Data and smart networks are already spreading across global water networks, helping water companies identify water leaks and develop water resource management plans to help ensure our water supplies in an increasingly uncertain climate.

This type of monitoring and sensing equipment can also be used in our stormwater networks and assets, helping to cut maintenance costs by sending alerts when maintenance is required and reducing the need for unnecessary inspection visits. They can also alert responsible parties to issues such as blockages in near real-time enabling maintenance teams to be deployed.

One such system is the Hydro-Logic® Smart Maintenance package. This system comprises a Hydro-Logic® Flexi Logger FL105 data logger with a level sensor and/or a sediment sensor.

The system can monitor water levels in flow control chambers or below ground storage systems and send automated alerts should levels indicate that a blockage may have occurred. It can also monitor water level and sediments in stormwater separators, sending alerts when the units need emptying.

The Hydro-Logic® Smart Maintenance package can be retrofitted to existing chambers without the need for extensive civils.

Helping to clean up the waters at Richmond Park, London

A Downstream Defender® stormwater treatment separator at Richmond Park is the first to use and test Hydro-Logic® Smart Maintenance to measure sediment and water levels in the chamber to help determine when maintenance visits were required.

The Hydro-Logic® Smart Maintenance package at Richmond Park comprises a sediment probe to indicate when a cleanout is required and a water level sensor that indicates each time a storm event occurs. The data is recorded and alerts sent using a Hydro-Logic® Flexi Logger data logger and telemetry platform. Watch the video at hydro-int.com/watch-richmond.

To find out more about how Hydro-Logic® Flexi Logger 105 can help you keep track of your below ground drainage performance, please visit hydro-int.com/fl105.