Dewatering plays an important role in a number of industries, including mining, construction, and disaster relief. It allows workers and disaster crews to transfer water efficiently and safely from one place to another. Once the water is cleared out, they can get to work. This process is especially important for flood relief, given that there is a flood event 8 out of every 10 days in the U.S.
There are many different dewatering methods, but most of them involve an interlocking system of pumps and wells in one form or another. This is what makes portable dewatering pumps so exciting. They can significantly decrease the time and effort spent dewatering smaller areas like flooded basements and pools thanks to their compact size and speed. They also require less setup than other pumps. In this article, we’ll dig deep into these pumps and discuss their many potential applications across the home and larger industries.
What Is Dewatering?
In the most basic sense, dewatering is the transfer of water from one location to another. However, the actual process is a lot more complex than it sounds and varies depending on which type of water you’re trying to move and which method you’re using.
Earthbound water is divided into two main types:
- Surface water: This refers to the water that sits above ground in rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water, including floodwaters. Naturally, surface water is fairly easy to access for the purposes of dewatering or emergency water removal.
- Groundwater: This term refers to the water beneath the surface of the earth, which fills and flows between gaps in the ground. About 35% of drinking water in the U.S. is derived from this underground water. At certain depths, water fully saturates the ground around it, and the surface of this region — the water table — is often lowered via dewatering to allow for mining and construction.
Each of these water types is dealt with in different ways, though there is some overlap. The most common dewatering methods include:
- Sump pumping: In this method, a relatively shallow pit is dug in the area being dewatered. Then, the water collects there and is pumped out by a pump placed either above the pit or in the water itself. The water is then sent to the discharge area, where it can be detained on-site, sent elsewhere, or treated and returned to natural bodies of water.
- Channeling: Rather than digging a single pit, this process involves the construction of a trench, which is then lined with filter fabric. Water pools in this trench and is then pumped out to the discharge area.
- The eductor well method: Similar to sump pumping, this approach to dewatering focuses on evacuating the water from pits via a pump. The eductor well method is deeper and more expansive, however. It uses narrower, more numerous holes that are connected to an at-grade pumping station. Eductor bodies are then used to create a vacuum in the wells, which draws the groundwater through the pipes and into the discharge area nearby.
- The wellpoint method: Similar to the eductor well approach, this method relies on boring narrow wells into the earth and extracting the groundwater by creating a vacuum. However, instead of eductor bodies, the wellpoint method uses a powerful header pipe placed above ground to extract the water.
- The deep wellpoint method: What separates this method from the shallower version is the use of wider, deeper pits and submersible pumps. Rather than using a vacuum, deep wellpoint leverages gravity to extract water via underground pumps. The water moves down into the pumps and away from the site, at which point the pumps send it up to the discharge area above ground.
The Benefits of Portable Dewatering Pumps
The dewatering techniques we’ve discussed so far are often used for large jobs by those with expansive resources. Smaller jobs don’t require that level of investment.
This is where portable dewatering pumps come in. Whether you’re clearing water out of a flooded basement or just emptying a pool for the fall, these pumps are up to the task. When compared with their larger, more work-intensive counterparts, these pumps offer many benefits. They are:
- Easy to use: Portable pumps are simple to set up and use. All you need to do with most models is plug them in, connect them to a discharge system like a hose, and turn them on.
- Compact: A huge part of the appeal of portable pumps is their small size. This compact design makes them easy to store and deploy, as they can fit into tight spaces with ease.
- Portable: One of the greatest strengths of these smaller dewatering pumps is how easy they are to transport. You don’t need any trucks or heavy equipment to haul these pumps, nor do you need extensive infrastructure to use them.
- Low-maintenance: Portable dewatering pumps are simple to operate. Many of the submersible models are even automatic and will turn off by themselves when the water around them reaches a certain height. Portable pumps are also easier to repair than their full-sized relatives as a result of their smaller frames and simpler mechanisms.
Portable Dewatering Techniques and Applications
Portable pumps can be used in many situations where larger, more intricate systems can’t. There’s a place for them as a cleanup tool in the construction and mining industries. They can even be used as a flood response tool by disaster relief teams and homeowners. For example, you might use a portable pump to:
- Drain a bathtub or hot tub with clogged plumbing.
- Empty a pool as the seasons change.
- Remove floodwater from your basement or other rooms.
- Drain smaller aquifers that are closed off to the groundwater around them.
These are just a few potential applications of portable dewatering pumps. Whether you’re looking to dewater something around the house or on a construction site, these pumps are a vital tool in your toolkit.
Find the Perfect Pump for You With Zoeller Pump Company
There is a lot of diversity when it comes to portable dewatering pumps. Zoeller Pump Company can answer your questions and help you choose the right pump for your project. From sump pumps to grinders, we’ve got you covered. Our wide range of pumps and accessories can meet a whole host of needs, whether you’re looking to repair an existing pump system or install something new.
To learn more about our offerings, fill out our contact form or give us a call at 800-928-7867.
