When a rising main burst in the middle of a field, it caused significant disruption to seven surrounding pumping stations. Selwood was contacted to provide a quick and effective solution to manage the flow of sewage while repairs were arranged.
MTS, on behalf of Southern Water, needed a temporary solution that would be durable enough to hold up for several days until the repair could be completed.
This urgent situation occurred over the Christmas period, which is typically a challenging time to coordinate responses. However, Selwood teams are available 24/7, ensuring they can react promptly to emergencies. Within just 24 hours of the initial call, Selwood had installed and fully operationalised all seven pumps.
The challenge
The primary challenge was the remote location of the burst main. It was located in the middle of a field in the village of Almodington, making it inaccessible for Selwood’s drivers. As a result, all the necessary equipment had to be delivered roadside and then moved onto the site by MTS’ excavators.
The pumps had to be positioned no more than 10 metres from the pumping area to ensure they worked effectively. This meant that positioning the equipment as close as possible to the affected area was a top priority. With one of the pumping stations, special care had to be taken to avoid overhead power lines.
The bad weather also caused delays in the repair work. Despite these setbacks, the solution provided by Selwood had to be robust enough to handle the flows for several days, ensuring operations continued without interruption until the repairs could begin.
The solution
Around 8:45pm on a Sunday, MTS contacted Selwood to request two diesel pumps, 200 metres of pipework, and tanker valves to support their tankers. After speaking to Selwood’s Pump Solutions Manager, the team determined that a more suitable approach would be to provide:
300 metres of pipework (better suited for the site conditions)
Fuel cubes to ensure uninterrupted operation
Tanker valves to facilitate the easy transfer of sewage from the pumps to the tankers
The tanker valves, operated by EMTs, allow tankers to hook up to the pumps, open the valve, and begin the pumping process without delay.
As the requirements grew clearer, the solution was expanded to include seven pumps – one for each of the affected pumping stations. The diesel pumps used were BBA 100mm and S140eco models.
Selwood sent three teams to install all seven pumps, ensuring that the system was fully operational before 6pm the following day (Monday). Throughout the process, Selwood’s solutions and installation teams maintained continuous communication with MTS and Southern Water to coordinate every step of the operation and ensure that all parties were aligned.
The result
In a situation that required immediate action, Selwood’s ability to respond quickly and install all seven pumps within just 24 hours made all the difference.
The pump and tankering system quickly took control of the flows, allowing MTS to begin digging around the burst main the next morning.
Despite the weather delay, which pushed back the start of the repair work until Thursday, the temporary solution remained in place and continued to operate effectively for three full days before it was decommissioned.
