At a leading science and innovation campus in Oxfordshire, DALROD Oxford, in collaboration with DALPUMPS, recently completed a significant project that highlights our problem-solving capabilities and commitment to excellence -even in the most challenging environment.
Within the 700-acre site are a number of lagoons which receive surface water from across the site.
James from DALROD Oxford, along with the DALPUMPS team, were tasked with inspecting and serving the penstock vales to two of these lagoons, along with locating a lost manhole from the last lagoon onsite before the network of water ways heads off into the nearby water course.
The routine maintenance of the penstock valves is crucial in ensuring the smooth operation of the water management system for the site. When the team found that one of the valves was seized in place and the winding spindle broken, they set about measuring up the valve and frame to have a new unit made.
A Challenging Survey
Locating a lost manhole can be challenging at the best of times, however when all you have is an old services map and the possible location is within a wooded area too, it brings a new complexity to the task.
What we didn’t know until we started search was that the wooded area was also the location of old buildings which had been demolished years before and nature had re-established itself.
This made the search akin to looking for a needle in a haystack!
Innovative Solutions
Given the inaccessibility of the drainage system from the lagoons the only viable solution was to use a metal detection to locate the manhole. After 2-3 hours of diligent work -sifting through old drink cans, wires and rusted metal -the team finally received a promising signal.
Excavating to a depth of 12 inches, they successfully uncovered the manhole.
Next Steps
With the manhole located, the next phase of work could proceed to establish the condition of the surface water drainage runs from the lagoons to the nearby watercourse and allocate any other missing manhole!
Excellence Through Collaboration
Projects like this exemplifies DALROD’s and DALPUMPS’ dedication to providing best in class solutions to our customers, regardless of the challenges, reinforcing our reputation as trusted partners in the drainage industry.
For more information on how DALROD can assist with your drainage and pumping needs, please contact us today:
