One of the chief concerns for any construction project that is near a body of water is the environmental impact that water diversion can have on wildlife, and even the water source itself. With increasing regulatory measures in place, traditional dewatering methods can take weeks or months to be approved if at all. This leads to a very delicate situation where the construction work can be delayed or even canceled causing thousands or millions in lost project time. Often, the traditional damming method of sandbagging these areas to be dewatered can cause the very type of contamination that was trying to be avoided in the first place. This is simply due to the organic nature of this method, which can introduce ground and water pollutants unintentionally, posing a heavy risk to sensitive environments.
For those specialty construction projects that can potentially harm wildlife or underlying watersheds, there have been few dewatering alternatives over the years that didn’t directly contribute to high levels of waste or organic pollution. These methods also used large amounts of energy and pollutant exposure to physically remove the water offsite and caused greater environmental impact by permanently taking it away to a separate location. One of the other great impacts that these methods had were on the worksites themselves as traditional dewatering still posed a danger to the workers. The hidden impacts of traditional dewatering methods though were longer lasting in the contribution to overall changes to stream and riverbed embankments and even flow rates. This fact remains a critical point of emphasis for fisheries across the world where unforeseen pressures can also have lasting consequences on micro-ecosystems further contributing to ongoing oversight and regulations. These environmental consequences are exclusive of the sheer amount of time and expenditure that traditional dewatering methods require to be effective enough to start construction projects.
The advantages of a traditional water-filled cofferdam for these types of construction projects are undeniable. One of the largest is decreased water turbidity which is typically associated with low-impact dewatering. Since there aren’t hundreds or thousands of sandbags being placed to divert flow, sediment remains largely undisturbed in the watershed and embankments. Further, the unnecessary transportation of water is avoided because the Aqua-Barrier® cofferdam is much more efficient in abatement. The cofferdams can also be inflated or filled with the very water from the construction site, creating a much more low-impact and efficient project that saves time and money. The utility that an Aqua-Barrier® cofferdam provides to sensitive work environments can be realized by the nature of its installation. Where traditional methods like sandbags create rigid structures that are prone to failure in a hydrologic setting, a water-filled cofferdam adapts to the installation site and maintains a safe, and dry work site. Additionally, the increased capability of cofferdams is largely felt in their ability to be installed at various heights that allow for ease of use where slopes are a common occurrence. Cofferdams also provide variable widths that account for streams or waterway narrowing, allowing workers to access the waterway without sacrificing safety.
In recent years, as environmental regulations continue to increase in scope and authority, even securing the right to work in sensitive aquatic environments has changed. This has meant that bidding for these construction jobs was largely focused on not only cost but the ability of the construction firm to ensure that there was no harm done to any plant or wildlife because of the work being done. For many construction firms who were using sandbagging or other outdated methods for dewatering, they simply could no longer win these types of bids. The common misconception was that using the Aqua-Barrier® water-filled cofferdam would cut into their margins due to the cost of these solutions in addition to already tight construction schedules. Over time, many construction firms have realized that the overall cost of a cofferdam was less expensive than the comparable cost of multiple sandbagging projects and allowed a much greater range of flexibility and competitiveness for sensitive jobs. Further, the ease with which the Aqua-Barrier® cofferdam can be delivered, placed, and deployed is unmatched by any other cofferdam on the market today. With a large distribution network across the globe, construction readiness is achieved in less time, providing not only operational advantages but competitive superiority for multinational construction firms. The Aqua-Barrier® cofferdam can meet the needs of stringent local and national standards for environmental protection in construction projects across the globe.
When choosing an effective dewatering solution that poses low to zero environmental impact the advantages of the Aqua-Barrier® water-inflated cofferdam versus traditional methods or even other inferior cofferdam competitors are undeniable. For over 25 years, we’ve been the home of the original water-inflated cofferdam, and in that time thousands of our customers and environmental agencies worldwide have placed their trust in our products to deliver safe, dry environments that keep projects on track and harmful contaminants away from watersheds and animals. These cofferdams are available in multiple heights and widths that can be used in tandem to achieve the results that each project requires individually. Further, the installation times for the Aqua-Barrier® are the best in the industry and are another hallmark advantage that can be used effectively in bidding and winning more jobs for our clients. It’s the reason we’re chosen time and time again when the slightest advantage in the product can mean securing the job or not.
Our friendly and knowledgeable sales team is waiting to help you with any of your specialty construction projects and with hundreds of successful installations under our belt, we’ll help you arrange for product selection, shipping, and any specific installation needs you might have. For more information, check out our Construction gallery or feel free to contact us. If you’re local, or just want to stop by, please come see us at our office in Waller, Texas.