Barratt Developments invest in innovative drainage protection system
Barratt Developments Plc
Rakes Park, Lydiate Lane, Thornton, Liverpool, L23 1TP, United Kingdom
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MuckStopper
The Challenge
Converting a greenfield site into a new housing development requires the installation of all services, drainage systems and roads from scratch, and during the construction process, a tremendous amount of dirt and silt is churned up and finds its way into manholes, inspection chambers and road gullies.
Open road gully gratings and dislodged or damaged chamber covers are no barrier to this sediment and road sweepers only exacerbate the problem, so drainage systems soon become blocked.
Unblocking drains is a time-consuming and dangerous task that requires sending personnel into confined spaces and if the blockage is particularly severe, needs the assistance of a professional drain cleaning company.
Barratt Developments wanted to protect all of the new drainage systems and their workers on the site and to prevent delays and additional costs to the project.
The Solution
After discovering the innovative MuckStopper® range of drainage protection products, Barrett Developments quickly realised the benefits these would bring.
- The original MuckStopper product is designed to protect inspection chambers from silt and debris. The range is comprised of the IC 300, IC 450, IC 500 and IC600 designed to fit chambers with a diameter of 300mm, 450mm, 500mm and 600mm respectively. MuckStopper IC drainage protectors are simply lowered into the inspection chamber and the chamber lid is fitted into place. Its central bucket collects any silt and debris that enters the chamber and a ring of bristles around the edge of the bucket creates a seal between the bucket and the chamber walls that allows water to pass through but traps silt and debris. The bucket is periodically removed to dispose of any contents, and once the construction project is complete it is simply removed. it can then be redeployed to another project.
- The MuckStopper RS 675 provides a complete barrier to silt entering 600mm x 600mm and 675mm x 675mm single sewer manhole covers.
The MuckStopper RS 1220 is a similar product, designed for double sewer manhole covers and featuring a removable centre section between the two chambers. To install the RE 675 and RS 1220 a frame is temporarily set into the brickwork at the top of the chamber and the manhole frame and cover are installed as normal. The MuckStopper cover is then placed in the frame to prevent silt, dirt and debris from entering the chamber, but can be easily removed if access is required. The MuckStopper frame is removed just before the final surface is applied and the manhole frame and cover are restored. - The MuckStopper RS 400 also uses a temporary frame that fits below the grating and frame of a road grating. A deep steel bucket that sits within this frame captures everything that enters the gully chamber but allows water to pass through into the stormwater drain through a series of holes at the top of the bucket. The bucket is removed periodically to be emptied of silt and debris and before the final surface is laid, the MuckStopper frame is removed and the gully frame and grate are reinstated.
Impressed by the effectiveness of these solutions, Barrett Developments decided to invest in MuckStopper products from across the entire range.
The Result
As ready investors in innovative systems to maintain their position at the head of the industry, the team at Barrett Developments also shared with us a few ideas for potential improvements to the design of the MuckStopper RS 400, which we were happy to take on board. We also welcome this partnership with them as it is a great way for us to continually improve our products and test innovations.
"Silt accumulation in manholes and gullies has been a constant challenge and the options to prevent this have never been very effective. After reading about the MuckStopper products in a LinkedIn post, I realised these could offer a better solution and contacted Drainfast. We have now invested in the MuckStopper system for our project in Thornton. The products are well-designed and sturdily built, and we are already noticing improvements on our site; just yesterday I found debris on top of the MuckStopper lids! It’ll be interesting to see how they perform during the winter months and we’ll be giving feedback on this. Drainfast have been extremely receptive to suggestions for product design improvements; like us, they are always looking for ways to innovate and improve. They have also been very responsive, delivering on time and providing good after-sales service. While it’s early days yet, I’d quite happily recommend MuckStopper to other construction companies."
Richard Harris, Senior Engineer, Barratt David Wilson Homes
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