The looming threat of climate change has led to greater awareness even in the planning of civic infrastructure. Already, flash floods and storm incidents are wreaking havoc on the lives of ordinary people everywhere. Water management has therefore become an important issue around the world. Among the various devices which are used for climate change installations across cities, sand traps are a small yet extremely important contraption.
As their name suggests, sand traps are devices which ‘trap’ the sand and other particle matter present in the wastewater from flowing into the main sewer drains. The importance of these sand traps lies in this very function – they filter out the particle matter and waste material from flowing into the pipes. This ensures that the pipes are unencumbered by the presence of any foreign matter and there is seamless discharge of even heavy volumes of rainwater and stormwater. Blockages in pipes due to accumulation of particle waste matter is prevented by the installation of sand traps at strategic locations.
In planning for climate change infrastructure, increasingly, there is a focus on infrastructure which can manage the heavy volumes of rainwater and stormwater. It is for this that most sand traps are either made from plastic or concrete, with the latter being used for large-scale filtration of heavy volumes of water and in areas where the particle matter in the water is extremely high. Concrete sand traps are also much more durable and can withstand the pressure of water flowing at high pressure or high volumes, allowing for unimpeded functionality even when there are extreme conditions.
Sand traps are typically installed at surface and sub-surface levels on the pavements to collect the particle matter at the entry stage itself. They may also be installed at individual collection points in standalone buildings which are focused on sustainable water management in areas which are prone to flooding and face intense and heavy rains. Additionally, sand traps may also be installed in areas near commercial kitchens and petrol pumps along with oil and grease separators to prevent fats, oils and grease from getting into the pipes and affecting their functionality.
For the most effective solutions for sand traps, explore the solutions on offer from Wavin, one of the leading global manufacturers of sustainable systems for water supply and management for climate-resilient cities.
