Water Pipes and Drainage Solutions

Civil Construction For A Better South Africa

One of the most important aspects that need to be taken care of in any type of construction project is how water is dealt with. Every structure needs to have elements put in place to assist with the removal of water that is present due to a number of different reasons. The best way to do this is through the use of water pipes that are designed to drain and channel water away from structures to prevent damage occurring from erosion and corrosion.

Water can be present for a number of reasons. It could be due to the presence of a high water table, lack of drainage present in the current sand and soil conditions and of course due to weather elements such as rain, dew, ice, etc. Water pipes are used in a number of different ways to ensure that water from these elements is channelled away from structures successfully.

Concrete Drainage Pipes

Concrete pipes have been used for over 2000 years in the removal of water, sewerage and other liquid related elements in built up areas around the world. This is mainly due to the fact that concrete is so durable and long lasting. In fact remnants of sewerage and water pipes that were used all these centuries ago are still being located today on archaeological digs and excavations.

Concrete drainage pipes are normally placed beneath the ground out of sight and out of the way of elements that could be destructive to the force. The pipes do not use any type of pumping mechanism but use forces such as gravity and dynamics to channel water from one area to another. The water pipes themselves as well as the placement of the water pipes are carefully designed and engineered to be the most effective in any given area.

Storm Water Pipes

Pipes used to channel away rain water differ from concrete drainage pipes in that they need to have sections that appear above ground. These sections are normally seen as storm water drains or culverts that are used to direct water into the actual pipe systems. While many types of storm water pipes are made from concrete, there are other types of materials that can also be used in this application.

Storm water pipes also normally consist of a much longer or larger piping system. This is because rain water often needs to be channelled in large quantities over longer distances, in comparison to water that needs to be drained away using underground concrete drainage pipes. This makes the design and structure of the pipes slightly more complicated than other types of piping systems.

While some piping systems need to be waterproofed, storm water pipes do not require this feature. Storm water is not normally contaminated and is not considered to be a risk to the environment should leaks occur in the piping system. Outside contaminants are also not really considered a hazard for rain water as the liquid is already exposed to all kinds of natural and manmade environmental contaminants, structures, etc.

However, this does not mean that the piping systems do not need to be tough and durable or prone to breaks or leaks in the piping system. Storm water pipes are used for two reasons – to prevent flooding occurring in a specified area and to direct water to a more suitable area such as a reservoir or dam. Breaks or leaks in the water pipes can have devastating effects in the form of flash floods or can cause water collection and storage problems that can result in water restrictions being placed on a community. Too much or too little water in any area is the main reason that concrete water pipes are used so extensively in modern societies.

Water that is collected from storm water drainage pipes is often sent via a different piping delivery system to our homes and other buildings. This water is considered safe for human use and consumption. However, most of the rain water that is collected in reservoirs and dams does need to go through some treatment before it reaches our household taps. These water pipe delivery systems