Water management is a crucial aspect of construction projects, essential for regulatory compliance, cost savings, efficiency, and sustainability. For instance, failing to isolate the site from upstream surface water can lead to an unexpected surge in water volume, potentially overwhelming the capacity of treatment systems. Additionally, not redirecting clean upstream water away from the construction area increases the risk of contamination and raises project costs due to the need to treat more water, along with potential regulatory violations.
Balancing these factors can be challenging for project managers, environmental managers, and engineers. This article, the second in our water management series, explores the risks and opportunities associated with water management during the construction phase.
Risks associated with water management
Legal
This is the obvious place to start as there are a raft of legislative controls relating to the water environment and water in general. From the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) Regulations in Scotland to the Environmental Permitting Regulations in England, what you are legally permitted to do is comprehensively controlled.
In the first instance the regulatory agencies are committed to working with the projects rather than seek enforcement action. However, prosecutions and legal precedent exists.
Cost and delays
The real risk to a construction project is unprogrammed, and therefore uncosted, management of water that will be acceptable to the regulatory agencies.
If there is a water management or pollution issue on your construction project, it is highly likely that the appropriate mitigation and control measures were not costed and programmed for.
There is always a cost, and it’s usually significant!
Environmental impact
Water should be viewed as a valuable commodity, not just for or own needs, but also the environment. We will investigate the environmental impacts associated with water mismanagement and water born pollution later in the year, but it would be remiss of us not to mention them here.
Abstracting ground or surface water in an unsustainable way is an obvious risk to those that depend on it. Impounding water presents flooding risk, and of course, polluting our water environment has a direct impact on the ecology, hydro-morphology and human use.
Opportunities
Stand out from the crowd
In our experience, water is not often managed well during construction. And while Industry Good Practice documents are listed as ‘informing management techniques’, these are rarely implemented and/or costed for.
And here lies the opportunity. Presenting water management and pollution control designs based on industry good practice at the tender stage demonstrates that:
You know what you are doing and take water management seriously
You have reasonably costed for water management and therefore are protecting both yourself and potentially your client from increased costs
You are reducing risk of regulatory action
You are reducing environmental impact
Not only will you differentiate yourself from your competitors, but you will also protect yourself from delays and excess costs associated with mitigating an issue that ‘pops up’ during construction.
Conclusion
Effective water management during construction is not just a regulatory requirement but a strategic opportunity to achieve cost savings, efficiencies, and sustainability. By implementing robust onsite and offsite water management techniques and leveraging innovative technologies, construction projects can mitigate risks and capitalise on opportunities.
If you're looking to enhance your water management strategies and ensure compliance with environmental regulations, Naturally Compliant is here to support you. Contact us today for a consultation and discover how our expertise can help you achieve your sustainability goals.