Hatfield Station is one of the busiest commuter hubs in the UK. With two regular services an hour into the capital each day and further direct links as far as Cambridge, this station makes the Hertfordshire town a popular thoroughfare for many.
Over the last few years, the station has undergone a huge refurbishment costing over £9 million. Part of this renovation included improvements to infrastructure and the construction of a large multi-storey car park. When such big structural changes are made to a site, one of the biggest and often overlooked issues is possible surface water flooding caused by ineffective drainage systems. That’s why it was vital that the right stormwater management solution was selected and installed correctly at Hatfield, which is where Wavin’s new StormForce team sprang into action.
Keeping people moving
With so many people relying on the smooth operation of Hatfield Station every day, it was important that the much-needed improvements didn’t pose any long-term risks to train services, and this included possible disruption from unexpected flooding due to excess rainwater. Flooding, especially in urban areas, is becoming a growing problem in the UK as we feel the impacts of climate change and experience more rainfall than ever before, with winters becoming 12 per cent wetter in the last decade alone.
The correct management of rainwater at Hatfield Station is vitally important as just a small amount of excess surface water or flooding could lead the station to come to a complete stop. When new infrastructure assets, like a multi-storey car park, are created in urban areas it can have a huge impact on that site’s ability to handle rainwater, as traditional run off points for water are compromised. This means solutions that can clear this surface water and prevent any disruption are integral to the build process, and need to be in the early design stages of the project.
Nationwide Engineering, the engineering consultant managing the project, needed a holistic, bespoke and effective surface water drainage system that was not only intelligently designed, but would also be installed in an efficient and reliable manner, which is where Wavin’s new StormForce service was perfectly suited. The new service brings the entire process of implementing stormwater management systems under one roof, with Wavin handling the design, supply and installation of SuDS from start to finish, including a five-year warranty post-completion. The StormForce design team quickly deciphered that Hatfield Station needed a solution consisting of a below-ground attenuation tank. These systems are able to store large amounts of water and release it at a controlled rate, helping to prevent flash flooding and keep everything moving above the surface.
A full-service offering
Understandably, full-scale renovation and development projects can become incredibly complicated very easily, and when working on a project that is also an active transport hub, any issues can be exacerbated. Therefore, it was a key focus that the implementation was completed quickly, efficiently and reliably, as any issues or corrections further down the line would mean further disruption for the station and the operator, Great Northern.
Hatfield Station was the first project to utilise Wavin’s new StormForce programme. In a typical supply chain, the implementation of stormwater solutions can be tricky and disjointed, with many different contractors and teams involved – but with all aspects of the design, installation and even guarantees covered by StormForce, Wavin’s one-stop service was uniquely suited to providing a quick and robust solution. Not only did this make the process more efficient, but it also gave extra reassurance that if any problems were to arise, they would be handled quickly.
Quick and easy installation
By using StormForce merchant partner Keyline, the StormForce installation team was able to complete the entire installation in just two days. This was an ideal result for the contractors who needed to keep disruption to a minimum.
Stewart McKechnie, site agent for Nationwide Engineering, who managed the site, said: “StormForce really does deliver. Our source supply and surface water management is totally sorted, so we can get on with the rest of the build. The service was fast, compliant, sustainable and top quality – what more could you want?”
The nature of Wavin’s StormForce programme and the singular team handling all aspects also meant that materials only arrived on site when they were needed, meaning the bulky products didn’t have to be stored for an extended period of time on site. This was another vital aspect of the build for Nationwide Engineering, which was working with a very small site area and couldn’t afford to lose any precious space for a prolonged period of time.
“StormForce streamlines the process for all parties involved in a build and Hatfield Station was a great example of how the service can really help to improve efficiencies throughout the entire supply chain and across the workflow. The pressures on the customer were many – from dealing with a small physical site, to having a strict requirement to keep to schedule and minimise disruption to commuters. StormForce was the perfect solution for the team as it removed the headache and extra stress of having to manage various parties, and we’re thrilled that Nationwide Engineering is happy with the end result.”Martin Lambley , Product Manager for stormwater at Wavin
