About 30 years ago, before Confined Spaces laws were brought in, Jon Allerton had the task of converting a large cesspool into a pump chamber. A cesspool is an underground tank used to store raw sewage until it is emptied by a suction tanker.
This cesspool was 3 metres deep, 2 metres wide and very long. To make it into a pump chamber, approximately 2 metres square, he had to build a wall across the tank. Simple enough.
He had stripped down to his pants and put on a pair of disposable overalls, rubber gloves and wellies. Bill mixed the cement and passed concrete blocks down to Jon through the manhole access hole.
The sides were still glistening from whatever it was on the walls and floor! Spiders occupied the area of the ceiling on large webs. The cobwebs did dangle a bit until he cut them back with his trowel. Surprisingly the air was fresh to breathe, so he didn’t need to come up for air as he had anticipated! He simply got on with the job.
After four hours the wall was built and out he came. Into brilliant sunshine he remembers. Now the engineers could fix the pumps, valves and pipe work and make a perfectly functioning Pump Station without the need of a GRP tank and a large excavator! Saving the customer many thousands in cash and no disruption to the garden.
Another job done!