subject: Why Hired Submersible Pumps Are So Effective After A Flood [print this page] April was reported to be the wettest in Britain since records began in 1901. Prolonged and heavy downpours caused major flooding across areas in the south of England, with hundreds of properties becoming partly submerged, according to the BBC News website. Bus and car passengers had to be rescued by emergency services after becoming stuck in water, as police issued flood warnings in several counties.
Pump hire companies also came to the rescue on many occasions, successfully removing excess water where required.
The Economic Impact of Flooding
When roads become impassable due to widespread flooding (and high water levels) this can have a catastrophic impact on badly hit regions, and across the country as a whole. School closures, transport systems temporarily shutting down, work absences, commercial business premises becoming flooded (and the goods therein being damaged) the combination of all these can affect the British economy, with so many lost work days being the main problem.
Beaches can be adversely affected by heavy rain too; which is bad news for tourist boards who rely on May and June tourism. Torrential rain throughout April flushed raw sewage into coastal waters, ruining the water quality at popular beaches around the UK, just as the bathing season arrived, said The Guardian.
In the aforementioned circumstances, UK water authorities rely upon their specialist flood teams, who, in turn, depend upon pump rental specialists to supply submersible pumps to remove excess water, sludge and other unwanted substances where necessary.
How Submersible Pumps Work
A submersible pump has a hermetically-sealed motor close-coupled to the pump body. The whole assembly is submerged in the fluid to be pumped (it will not work if it is not immersed in liquid). Submersible pumps operate beneath the earths surface, pushing water upwards (unlike groundwater pumps that suck water out of the ground).
Types of Submersible Pumps
At their depots across the country a good pump leasing company will stock four main types of submersible pump:
1. Submersible drainage pumps: ideal for dewatering at all kinds of construction and civil engineering sites (dams, bridges, quarrying, tunnelling and open cast mining).
2. Submersible wastewater pumps: for wastewater handling these pumps incorporate the latest technology with state-of-the-art premium efficiency motors. A pumping specialist can quickly design, supply and install a temporary wastewater pumping system to meet individual needs.
3. Electric submersible sludge pumps: ideal for pumping sludge, water with large sludge content, and heavily contaminated liquids.
4. Hydraulic submersible drainage pumps: designed for applications that involve concentrated solids, such as sewage, wastewater, chemicals and dredging. No suction or lift restrictions mean they can handle more than 50 per cent dry solids.
Hiring from a reputable pumping company is vital. As well as offering a 24/7 emergency response service, they will have the experience and expertise to handle any kind of pumping job, and will be unfazed by even the most complex and demanding post-flooding pumping requirement.
Finally, clients (across rural and urban locations) who are particularly vulnerable to flooding in the event of continuous heavy rain should formulate a contingency plan with a pump hire specialist. A site visit can be part of the plan, where the specialist will gather facts about aspects such as: the duty required flow, distance, length of hire, how often the pumps will run, and any possible stand- by units requirement, so that the most appropriate pumps and related equipment can be provided from the specialists depot located closest to the site, quickly and without fuss.
