Pumping System for Flood Risk Management Project
T-T Pumps supplied essential pumping equipment for a critical flood risk management project in Lowestoft in Suffolk, drawing on decades of expertise to help ensure the scheme’s success and protect the town from future flood events. This included the design, manufacture and installation of a new bespoke pumping station together with an advanced T-T SEER Telemetry unit for 24/7 proactive monitoring of station performance.
The Problem
Flooding is a massive problem for coastal communities across the country, causing extensive damage to homes and businesses, and having a devastating impact on people’s lives.
Following a number of major flood events in Lowestoft, including a tidal surge that caused over 160 homes and businesses to be flooded in December 2013 and other flooding in 2015 and 2016, the Lowestoft Flood Risk Management Project was set up to reinforce its flood defences and protect the town for the future.
A key priority of the Lowestoft Transport and Infrastructure plan, the project is due to be fully completed by 2025 and includes a new tidal barrier and raised flood walls for protection against tidal surges. To alleviate the risk posed by flooding from rivers and extreme rainfall around Kirkley Stream, it was decided that a new pumping station and flood wall were the most practical options to protect properties and businesses within the flood risk area.
“Surface water from a local housing development runs the risk of overwhelming the surface water sewer network in place,” explains Jon Whittingham, Pumping Stations Manager at T-T Pumps. “T-T Pumps was tasked to aid with the design, supply and installation of a pumping station. Also, to take flows from the housing development and discharging the water into a local river which in turn runs out to the sea. This then aids in protection of the existing surface water drainage infrastructure.”
The Solution
An experienced partner with the right level of technical and site expertise was needed to deliver the required solution and ensure the scheme’s success. With an existing relationship built on trust and long-term supply reliability, T-T Pumps was the obvious choice to design and deliver the pumping station at Velda Close.
As the pumping station would have unique characteristics to meet the project’s strict requirements, T-T Pumps’ involvement from the inception of the pumping station's design was critical to the entire project's success.
T-T Pumps’ Senior Project Engineer, John Plant, commented: "The pumping station pipework, pumps, kiosk and control panel all needed to be specified. In addition, we were also tasked with the designing and the connection to the power supply the pumping station would use, plus a connection to an emergency generator was also required in the design.”
John Plant continued: “Our expertise in the water management sector and the need for this project to have M&E performance specified by Anglian Water, T-T Pumps had the expertise to not only create the design for the pumping station, but also, supply the station’s essential components. No other supplier has this breadth of knowledge, technical expertise, and direct supply capabilities.”
The final specification of the pumps included a four-pump layout with each pump capable of pumping up to 27.5% of the max discharge at the max design head, along with a pumping arrangement capable of pumping a stepless range of flows from approximately 40l/s to max discharge of 320l/s.
Jon Whittingham explains: “The pumping station contained four pumps and a unique control system on site, as the flows that enter the pumping station vary. Therefore, the station may only require one pump to operate, or up to all four pumps in operation should the inflow determine this. The task was to select pumps that would handle a combination of the minimum flow rate and the maximum flow rate required, plus all flows in-between. To design a control system which would allow the pumps to react subject to demand.”
Zenit UNIQA
The preferred choice for the Velda Close project was the Zenit UNIQA model ZUG OC200B 7.5/6AD, a high-quality product utilising an IE3 6-pole motor to maximise efficiency for the requirements of the application.
T-T SEER Monitoring System
To ensure efficient and reliable long-term operation of the pumping station, a T-T Seer Monitoring unit was also installed. SEER is the most advanced monitoring system on the market, providing 24/7 tracking with live status and alarm activation. Crucially, it allows proactive monitoring and observation of the entire system, including detailed historical data that allows potential issues to be identified early, rather than traditional telemetry systems which are reactionary.
Professional and Integrated Services
T-T Pumps has a proven track record of delivering professional and integrated services to the water management sector, with this latest Lowestoft Flood Risk Management Project following on from T-T’s involvement in numerous other schemes such as the Arbroath Flood Protection Scheme in Scotland.
Bob Nash, Managing Director, concludes:
“As we are the only provider who could deliver such a project T-T Pumps are unique as we truly are a one-stop solution for pumping station provision. We design, manufacture, install, commission and service. No element of the work is sub-contracted, therefore we deliver on quality, service, reliability and at the right price. Our ‘can do’ attitude and our willingness to think outside of the box constantly delivers solutions to our clients that just work.”
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