How to Dewater Your Construction Site
When you work with Bobcat® construction equipment and other heavy machinery, you know the importance of keeping your heavy equipment well-maintained and running well. But what about your worksite? It's important to engage in the maintenance of the property as well to keep everything running smoothly.
One important task is dewatering the construction site, which means removing groundwater or surface water from the area. Below we cover the importance of dewatering and some common methods you can use. If you have questions or want to look at Bobcat equipment for sale, visit Bobcat of York/Frederick/Adams County. We are located in York and Hanover, Pennsylvania, and Frederick, Maryland. We also proudly serve those throughout Pennsylvania.
Importance of Dewatering
Dewatering involves removing the groundwater or surface water from a construction site. This water could otherwise be problematic for the operation of heavy machinery. Usually, this process happens before excavation so that the groundwater table level is lowered. Removing the water helps promote the safe operation of heavy equipment and helps keep the work progress on schedule.
Common Methods
The easiest strategy is to use drainage channels to move the water from your work area to a discharge point. Other approaches include water pumping, siphoning, or using heavy machinery buckets to scoop up the water and transport it somewhere else.
It's common for dewatering pumps to be brought in to lower the groundwater table level in the excavation area. If your groundwater level is lower than the excavation level, you may be able to get by just using trash pumps to remove standing water.
In some cases, there will be an excessive amount of groundwater or your excavation is positioned below the groundwater table level. Then you will probably need more aggressive methods that involve specialized pump systems, such as submersible pumps and wellpoint systems.
Dewatering Bags
If you need to remove sediment from pumped water, you can rely on tools such as dewatering bags. These are built from a durable geotextile fabric, which filters water and removes the sediments. They are commonly used in dredging operations, construction sites, or places with a high water table near the shoreline.
If you use these bags, check that they are sized according to the pump flow rate and type of sediment you are removing. You'll also want to be sure to avoid too many pipe discharges when using them. Too many pipe discharges can cause the filter bag to fail. You'll also want to be sure to guide water runoff to the nearest storm inlet.
Precautions
If you are not careful, you could end up causing erosion. You'll want to take some preventative steps to help ensure this process goes smoothly. First, make sure you pick an ideal location for discharging the water. For example, water shouldn't be pumped directly into the slopes. You also made need a permit to dewater in the area you want, so look into this before you start the process. Second, avoid attempting this process during heavy rain. It often becomes a pointless uphill battle as the water fills up so quickly in the rain. Third, make sure you don't discharge water that's been contaminated with grease, chemicals, or oils. You may need an oil/water separator to handle this situation.
We hope you found this guide helpful! If you are looking to check out Bobcat construction equipment for sale in Pennsylvania, visit Bobcat of York/Frederick/Adams County. Our friendly staff can help you find the perfect heavy machinery for your budget and project needs, so stop by today!