When a main supply pipe at a European water treatment plant failed, large quantities of untreated material flooded onto the site and adjoining land. However, a national response from a pump hire specialist ensured that the situation was soon in-hand.
In one of its largest ever projects, pump and power hire specialist SLD mobilised its national network to respond to an emergency call-out following failure of the main supply pipe at a UK water treatment plant.
Failure of the 2.5 m diameter pipe, which handles some 15,000 to 20,000 litres per second of waste water, resulted in large quantities of untreated material flooding onto the site and adjoining land.
Rapid response SLD’s rapid response specialists evaluated the problem and quickly devised a plan to tackle the problem. The objective was to divert, capture and manage the flowing waste stream to enable the treatment works to continue operating and prevent further damage.
Richard Broughton, SLD’s manager who led the project, said: “It is one of largest single deployments of pumps and related equipment SLD has made. The response required coordination across our UK network to meet the significant equipment requirements in a timely manner.”
SLD harnessed its national branch network to deliver specialized high capacity pumps and remote power systems to manage the high volume flow. The first batch of pumps was onsite and running within three hours of the initial call-out. A total of 21 high-tolerance SLD pumps were delivered to the treatment works, supported by power generation systems, 17 fuel tanks and 5 km of pipe. SLD equipment was delivered to site from across the UK by 19 articulated lorries and included Hush-Pac quiet-running pumps and generators, equipped with automatic float and flow controls.
Christmas working SLD staff worked throughout the Christmas period, including Christmas Day and Boxing Day, to ensure the project was completed successfully. Following installation, SLD specialists remained at the site around-the-clock to provide technical support to the operator and its site contractor.
Broughton said: “The timing of the emergency – over the Christmas period – required SLD staff to make particular sacrifices to deliver for our client. It is testimony to their professionalism and dedication that we were able to rise to the challenge, and quickly get the situation under control.”
SLD Pumps and Power is a trading division of Carrier Rental Systems UK Ltd, part of United Technologies Corporation.