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Major civil engineering works often require opening the ground beneath busy roads. But the systems running through them cannot simply be switched off. Drainage infrastructure carries stormwater constantly. It flows through manholes and underground pipes every hour of every day. This keeps roads, carriageways, and surrounding land free from flooding. When that infrastructure fails, the consequences are immediate.
When a large section of ageing stormwater pipework beneath a live dual carriageway in South Yorkshire reached the end of its serviceable life, Sykes Pumps’ Doncaster depot team was called upon to design, deliver, and commission an emergency overpumping stormwater main replacement.
The underground drainage main required full excavation and replacement, but the flow it carried had to keep moving every hour of every day throughout the works. This is where emergency overpumping becomes not just useful, but essential.
Our experienced engineers worked alongside the construction team to ensure the pumping system remained fully operational throughout the replacement programme.
When Stormwater Drainage Cannot Stop, Even for Repairs
Stormwater drainage handles surface water runoff from roads, pavements, and surrounding land. If that system is taken out of service without a bypass in place, even a moderate rainfall event can cause:
- Waterlogging of the excavation zone, stopping groundworks entirely
- Flooding of adjacent roads and surrounding areas
- Risk of structural damage to the excavation walls from water ingress
- Significant delays to the construction programme and associated cost overruns
An effective overpumping solution eliminates all of these risks by ensuring continuous flow management throughout the pipe replacement works, regardless of weather conditions or water levels within the system.
The stormwater pipework at the heart of this project ran beneath the central reservation of a dual carriageway in South Yorkshire. Years of use had taken their toll, and the pipework had reached the point where full replacement was no longer optional – it was urgent.
The construction team engaged to carry out the replacement works faced a demanding set of constraints:
- The drainage system between the two manholes, approximately 300 metres apart, needed to remain operational throughout the works.
- The site was located beneath the central reservation of a busy dual carriageway, with live traffic management in place throughout the project.
- Excavation of the central reservation would expose the failing pipework and render the existing drainage system non-functional during this period.
- Any failure to maintain stormwater flow risked flooding the excavation zone and forcing a halt to the works.
What was needed was a reliable, robust temporary pumping system that could be set up quickly, operate automatically, handle variable water levels, and run continuously without constant human intervention.
A Tailored Emergency Bypass Pumping System
The Sykes Pumps team at the Doncaster depot worked closely with the contractor’s engineers from the outset to provide both a powerful and intelligent solution and avoid downtime.
The temporary bypass pumping solution comprised two key components:
2 x SH150SS Solids Handling Pumps
Sykes Pumps’ latest Stage 5 compliant pump units are specifically engineered for applications where the fluid being pumped may contain solid debris.
Stormwater flowing through a system where groundworks are actively underway will inevitably carry debris, grit, sediment, and construction material. A standard drainage pump would be at significant risk of blockage under these conditions.
Each of the two pumps was set up on a float switch system, meaning both units could operate automatically and independently in response to changes in water level in the upstream manhole. As water levels rose, the pumps would activate to manage flow; as levels fell, they would stand by.
By connecting both pumps’ fuel systems to a single 2,000-litre external bunded tank, the installation dramatically extended the running time between refuels. This allowed the construction programme to proceed without interruption caused by fuel management, reduced the frequency and cost of on-site fuel deliveries, and significantly lowered the risk of the pumps running dry during periods of high water inflow.
The complete installation: two SH150SS pumps operating on float switches, connected via temporary pipework across a 300-metre span and supplied with fuel from a single 2,000-litre bunded tank – created a bypass pumping system that could effectively manage the full stormwater flow between the two manholes, without requiring continuous manual supervision.
Uninterrupted Works, Zero Drainage Delays
Throughout the full duration of the stormwater main replacement works, the bypass pumping installation operated reliably and without issue. The pumps continuously managed stormwater, keeping the excavation zone clear and dry. This allowed the contractor to carry out the pipe replacement works efficiently.
There were no drainage-related delays to the construction programme. The float-controlled pumps responded automatically to changing water levels immediately and without manual intervention. The solids-handling capability of the SH150SS units meant that debris carried by the stormwater, an inevitable consequence of active excavation, did not cause pump blockages or unplanned downtime.
The extended fuel capacity provided by the 2,000-litre bunded tank reduced the frequency of fuel deliveries and the associated disruption, keeping the operation clean, efficient, and cost-effective.
The result was a construction project that ran to programme, with a pumping solution that simply did its job -reliably, continuously, and without fuss.
Download Case Study
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Download Case Study: Water Treatment & Dewatering Solution for a Major Infrastructure Project in the East Midlands |
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Need Emergency Overpumping or Temporary Pump Hire?
If you are facing a situation where drainage infrastructure needs to remain operational during repairs or replacement works, Sykes Pumps can help.
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Our specialist engineers will design and deploy a bypass pumping solution tailored to your site requirements, ensuring operations continue safely and efficiently throughout your works.
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FAQs
Is emergency pump hire available 24 hours a day in South Yorkshire?
Yes. Sykes Pumps operates a 24/7 emergency call service: call 0800 211 611 at any time of day or night. The Doncaster depot serves South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, and surrounding areas, with access to the full Sykes Pumps nationwide fleet for larger or more specialist requirements.
Can overpumping systems operate automatically without constant supervision?
Yes. Modern pump hire systems used for bypass pumping applications can be configured with float switches that enable fully automatic operation. Each pump connects to a float switch in the upstream manhole. As water levels rise, the pump activates automatically. As levels fall, it stands by. No permanent site operator is needed. This matters on construction sites where pumping must continue overnight. It also covers weekends and periods when no personnel are present.
Why are solids-handling pumps recommended for stormwater bypass applications?
Stormwater is rarely clean water. Stormwater on an active construction site is never clean. It carries grit, sediment, debris, and construction material. A standard drainage pump cannot handle this reliably. Blockages are a real risk. And a blocked pump on a live bypass means unplanned downtime, at exactly the wrong moment. Solids-handling pumps solve this problem. The SH150SS is specifically engineered for fluids containing solid particles. It keeps the bypass running. Free from blockages, stoppages, and disruptions to the construction programme!
