Dewatering is the process of removing or shifting surface water or groundwater from a construction site. Accumulated water in trenches and excavations frequently causes downtime at industrial or construction sites because work areas become impassable owing to floods. Dewatering these regions is necessary to allow work to go steadily and increase safety for the project personnel.

Dewatering is required before any excavation to provide the construction crew with dry soil to work on and lower the area’s water table, which could present issues once excavation work gets underway. This is where dewatering pumps come in.

Dewatering pumps

The dewatering procedure primarily uses pumps and evaporation processes, typically done before excavation for footings or to lower the water table that may pose problems during subsequent excavations.

Construction workers typically use Pumpbiz dewatering pumps at the start of a project, long before any digging or excavation gets started. Without an on-site dewatering pump to regulate water levels, a job site might soon come to a standstill. As a result, your productivity plummets, and expenses soar.

Types of dewatering pumps

Dewatering pumps come in a wide variety. However, they may generally be divided into three groups.

Submersible pumps

These pumps can transport both liquids and small abrasives, like sand, and are made to be fully or partially submerged under water. A submersible pump will force the liquid through a discharge line to the surface rather than pushing it there. There are various benefits to using a submerged or water-level pump, including:

• It can use the on-site electrical supply and take up little space.
• It is unnecessary to prime it as the pump is already submerged in water.
• The energy efficiency of submersible pumps is excellent.
• Noise is minimal due to the pump’s underwater location.

Centrifugal pumps

A lengthy suction hose and filter must be lowered into the water to put centrifugal dewatering pumps on the sump or dam wall. These are often self-priming for dewatering. Therefore, priming is not necessary before usage. After the pump has been primed, the water is pumped through the outlet pipe into a dam, pond, tank, or another site.

Well-point piston pumps

Well-point piston pumps are self-priming and positive displacement pumps. The primary purpose of these pumps is to lower the water table on construction sites so that work can proceed without groundwater flooding the area. They don’t require a separate self-priming system to pump a mixture of air and water.

Considerations for choosing a dewatering pump

Selecting the incorrect size pump can result in several problems. Take the following into consideration when choosing a dewatering pump.

Static head pressure

You must first determine the static head to guarantee that the pump can generate enough pressure to deliver the necessary vertical water flow.

Flow speed

It’s critical to pick a pump capable of generating the flow rate required to remove the water. In addition to the pump, be cautious when deciding on the suction pipeline’s length.

Altitude and temperature

The pump’s suction capacity can be significantly impacted by the fluid temperature and the altitude at which it must work.

The takeaway

Discuss the location of the dewatering pump with your supplier to make the best decision.