A revolutionary, cost-effective method of improving the performance and resilience of sewer systems is now available for the first time in the UK.
Soon after the Czech Republic’s ‘Velvet Revolution’ freed the country from communism, under the streets of the country’s capital a basalt ‘revolution’ began gathering momentum.
As Prague’s outdated sewer system caused devastating floods in 2002, a dynamic solution was needed to update the Victorian-era sewer system to meet the needs of a vibrant, 21st Century European capital.
In the years leading up to the flooding, sink holes had appeared in several parts of the city in public and residential areas because of the on-going collapse of the sewer system. A solution was needed to future-proof the system.
Already tried and tested in some of the most demanding heavy industries, locally-sourced basalt was soon identified as having all the qualities required for long-term reliability in the extreme environments found in urban sewer systems.
Now the residents of Prague benefit from one of the world’s most reliable sewer systems thanks to the unique qualities of its revolutionary basalt lining. These qualities include:
- Unrivalled wear, abrasion and chemical resistance.
- Guaranteed to last at least 100 years.
- Extremely resistant to high pressure jet washing
- Provides added protection at junctions and other sections of the system more prone to wear, blockage or failure.
The highly versatile material was supplied by Czech firm Eutit and now it’s partner, the Greenbank Group, is bringing the basalt ‘revolution’ to the UK waste water sector.
Ray Moorehead, Greenbank Sales and Marketing Director, explained, “Volcanic basalt proved the perfect replacement for the city’s flood-damaged brick sewers.
“The results for owners and operators of sewer systems in Prague and other European cities really do speak for themselves with ease of installation, improved performance, reduced maintenance costs and much longer effective life expectancy.
“Basalt also delivers increased flow rates for any given diameter of sewer, improving efficiency of the system. In short, this revolutionary product is the most cost-effective and reliable on the market to increase the lifespan of sewer systems, even under the added pressures of modern living.”
Few companies understand the qualities and uses of basalt as well as Greenbank, which has been bringing the benefits of basalt to a number of industrial sectors.,
A specialist engineering company, it has developed a wide range of lining products for use in heavy industries such as power generation and minerals extraction.
“Eutit’s work on the Prague sewer system has shown that the use of basalt solutions really is revolutionary for the waste water industry, adding a new level of security to systems. It has completely transformed them, making worries of a repeat of 2002’s flooding a thing of the past. Basalt really has transformed the waste water industry in Central Europe and we are excited to bring this revolution to the UK,” Mr Moorehead said.
A wide-range of basalt products are now available in the UK for implementation in all sewage disposal systems and drainage projects, including bottom gutters, branch pipes and tubes, slip-resistant elements for walkways. Greenbank can even supply bespoke shaped tiles to meet the unique requirements of individual clients.
Basalt tiles can also be used to overlay onto existing brickwork, a more cost-effective solution than full replacement and their reduced drag coefficient means improved flow – in effect a smaller diameter pipe or tunnel lined with basalt can carry a higher volume of water than a larger one with traditional brick surfaces.
“Using basalt, there really is a cost-effective way to massively improve the quality of every sewage system project. It’s a revolution that the whole industry should get behind to create the most robust systems possible,” added Mr Moorehead.
As Greenbank brings this know-how to the UK, this basalt revolution is changing the face of waste water system projects for the better.
To find out more about our basalt products, water companies, contractors and pipe manufacturers should contact the Greenbank Group on 0845 0707 094 or email info@greenbankgroup.com
