SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR

DEWATERING

ANURANJ K
ATHUL K.C
ASHWANTH V
 DEWATERING
 To dewater means to remove water from an area

 It is usually done at a construction site to remove surface water

 The process is normally done either by letting the water evaporate

or through the use of a dewatering pump

 It is necessary before any excavation is done so that the

construction crew can have dry land to step on and also to lower an
area’s water table that may cause problems when the excavation
work is begun
 In construction sites, water can accumulate in excavations and
trenches, in sloped areas, or if the site is not located within an
area with a low water table

 Accumulated water can be a threat to the safety of workers

who may slip and injure themselves
 SAFETY MEASURES

 The quickest way to remove accumulated water from a construction site

is through the use of pumps

 However, dewatering is not simply submerging the pump in the

affected area and letting the water out somewhere else

 There are precautions that must be followed to ensure that soil erosion
and other problems are avoided

 One of the considerations that builders have to keep in mind is that the
location for the discharged water must be carefully selected
 As a precaution against erosion, builders should avoid discharging
water onto a slope directly
 If you are able to discharge water nearby, choose wooded buffer areas.
They have the best ability to absorb and disperse it.
 Monitor both the area you are dewatering and the area where you are
discharging the water. Stop and investigate if either site shows signs
of erosion.
 Groundwater should be tested for contaminates and overall quality.
Large areas of standing water in open pits should be tested to make
sure they don’t contain oil or chemicals. This may add a further
treatment step to the dewatering process. The untreated water can
never be discharged without first being treated.
 As much as possible, the water should be discharged through the
channels surrounded by grass and vegetation

 If the site starts to show erosion or if the ground shows signs of being
unstable, the dewatering activities should be discontinued

 If you’re moving water along a dewatering channel, you can stabilize it

and reduce erosion by protecting the channel with grass or other ground
vegetation.
 Dewatering at a construction site involves the risk of water being
contaminated with grease and oil

 Water contaminated with industrial grease must never be discharged into

the environment because it may damage the soil and the surrounding areas
that have vegetation

 If the accumulated water is contaminated, an oil and water separator must

first be used

 Once separated, the water can be discharged and the oil can be disposed of
properly following the regulations
 CLOSING THOUGHTS

Wherever dewatering is done, builders and

contractors must always make sure that the best
management practices are followed to ensure that
erosion is prevented and no harm is done to the
environment