Construction is big business and projects can easily become expensive. You have to consider a wide variety of factors to make sure your project succeeds. One you may not have considered is the stability of the ground.
If your construction site drains poorly, water pooling on the surface or below ground could lead to unsettled or unstable conditions, making it difficult or even impossible to build. You don’t have to compromise your project or change your plans because of drainage issues. Able Dewatering, Florida’s expert turnkey dewatering company, can help by installing their wellpoint systems.
Why is dewatering important?
As mentioned earlier, construction is a complicated process. Beginning work on any site is influenced by the water level, the type of soil on the site, and the conditions of the soil. One key factor is soil permeability — the ability of the soil to transmit water and air. More permeable soil means greater seepage, in that the water spreads throughout the ground.
If water does not drain properly in the ground where your construction project is happening, it can cause big problems for your site. This occurs most often when the water table – defined by National Geographic as an underground boundary between the surface and the area where groundwater saturates spaces between sediments and cracks on rock – lies higher than the excavation taking place.
Dewatering serves as a method of lowering the water level, making for a safe and dry environment for any excavation happening as part of the construction project. Specifically, dewatering modifies the existing flow—or lack of flow—of ground water, subsequently lowering the water table and also reducing the amount of water in the soil. This is especially useful for construction projects installing pipelines; for water, gas, or oil.
What is wellpoint dewatering and how does it work?
A wellpoint system is the most widespread method of dewatering used in construction. When installed properly by a well-trained team of professionals, a wellpoint system “pre-drains” wet soil, providing greater stability for the excavation. The system consists of multiple wellpoints, all connected to a common header system via a flexible swing joint. Those swing joints have valves, which allow control of water flow and airflow into the header system, which summarily is attached to a pump to maintain a constant vacuum. The natural force of atmospheric pressure guides water up to the wellpoint, through the header, and into the pump, where it is discharged wherever it’s designated to go.
In construction work, wellpoint dewatering is the preferred method of draining for excavations of modest depth, including trenching excavations. For more shallow excavations, a single-stage wellpoint system might be a better choice.
How is a wellpoint dewatering system installed?
First and foremost, you should know this is a complicated process that only should be attempted by trained professionals using the proper equipment. Even if you are an experienced contractor with plenty of experience in construction, you may not have the knowledge and training to install a dewatering system. Make sure you only hire a company, like Able Dewatering, with significant and proven experience in doing this type of work.
When installing a dewatering system with multiple wellpoints, the wellpoints are placed under the desired depth of excavation. Each wellpoint must have a filter sand placed to prevent infiltration and potential clogging from fine sand, and other similar material. In certain soil conditions, the wellpoints may be able to be installed by hand. In soil with more claylike or hard conditions, the wellpoints are placed with our drill machine. Our drill machines our designed by us, for use in our wellpoint installations, for the various soil conditions Florida offers.
When installing a wellpoint drainage system, there are different factors that contribute to a quality wellpoint system. One factor is adequate supply of water during installation.
What are the advantages of a wellpoint system?
- Can be installed fairly quickly in a wide variety of ground conditions
- Easy to maintain
- Versatile enough to be used in large- and small-scale projects
- Reusable and environmentally friendly
Wellpoint Dewatering in Florida
At Able Dewatering, the installation of a wellpoint system is one of our specialties. We have been in business for more than 20 years and, combined, our team has more than 50 years of experience in dewatering systems. We offer turnkey services; which means we handle every aspect of the job; from the initial planning, all the way through cleanup. We’re committed to providing high-quality, affordable work, with the highest level of customer satisfaction. Our motto is “Cresting strong foundations for customer success” and we are excited to put that into practice for you. If your site is in need of a possible wellpoint dewatering system, just contact us by texting or calling (813) 326-6902 or send a message through the contact form on our website. For any and all of your Dewatering needs – Able Dewatering.