ECS To Refurbish East Anglian Pumping Station To Reduce Flood Risk And Improve Drainage

ECS Engineering Services has won the contract to redevelop and refurbish the Environment Agency’s Peakirk Pumping Station, near Peterborough, at the junction of the Rivers Welland and Folly. The aims of the project are to improve the whole drainage of the surrounding area and provide improved flood prevention capabilities.

The site includes three outdoor electrically powered pumps and three further diesel driven pumps in a pump building, all on a metal and concrete bridge straddling the River Welland. The adjacent control room contains the switch gear, power supplies and automatic level controls that keep this station running.

The flood defence system is based on a pair of wooden pointing doors designed to prevent flood waters reaching properties upstream of the pumping station, which ECS is to reengineer. The doors will be refurbished and their mounting posts replaced. In addition, ECS has proposed a simple mechanical counterbalance system that will be designed and manufactured in house for closing the doors in periods of high water levels.

Gaining access to the pointing doors is an extremely difficult process and has been taken on by ECS as part of this project. The downstream channel isolation has been created using a temporary GEO dam system that is capable of maintaining a water level of over 3m, installed with diving contractors this is the largest dam of its type installed in these conditions in the UK.

Future proofing the site, and leaving the client with a maintainable asset is essential on this type of contract and ECS, in conjunction with its supply chain have provided the client with a fully width adjustable stop log system designed to isolate 3m of water. This rack and pinion driven, coated steel system has been developed to be universal with an operating channel range of 6.8 m to 8.0m, thus enabling the EA to utilise it to maintain other assets in the region.

Similarly, ECS is to replace the existing double automated weed screen cleaner with up to date, modern Landustrie machines that will work in harmony with the rest of the site assets. The new arrangement will consist of a single monorail supporting two grabs for two separate inlets, all controlled by a modern Mitsubishi PLC (programmable logic controller). The system will run automatically to remove debris collecting in front of the screens; overrides will allow an operator to take control for maintenance and test purposes.

To reduce the need for manual handling, ECS is to upgrade the existing overhead manually operated travelling building cranes by installing electrical drives and hoist systems. It will also upgrade the power supply to the pump house and install accessible energy efficient LED lighting to overcome the difficulties of maintaining the current high level fittings.

About ECS Engineering Services
ECS Engineering Services has over 20 years experience in delivering high quality, reliable and cost effective engineering solutions, specialising in bespoke design and construction of water, energy and environmental processing and management projects.

In conjunction with key supply partners, ECS has the expertise and capacity to design and install a wide range of water control engineering projects. With in-house fabrication services, which have CE Marking approval to EXC3, well equipped and highly skilled engineers can also complete structural steelwork, bespoke fabrication work and access metalwork to the highest standard.

With a complete range of site services available, ECS offers a full turnkey project managed service for mechanical and electrical installations including managing civils contractors and supplying pipework, control and automation work to ensure that every installation is installed and commissioned to the highest standard. Existing clients include the majority of the UK Water Utility companies, Government Agencies and Internal Drainage Boards.