As part of the @one Alliance, Barhale are working in the role of principal contractor on the Holywell Row DG5 Flooding scheme, Suffolk. A £1.4 million Anglian Water project, increasing the stormwater capacity, which will prevent local communities from flooding.

The works, taking place in a local farmers field opposite Wildmere Lane in Bury St Edmunds, incorporates the installation of a new rising main of 45m pipes. The pumps required replacing as several properties in the area were affected by prolonged rainfall events and flooding incidents as well as other causes such as blocked pumps and power steering failures.

The team stripped the topsoil from the working area, installed a temporary cofferdam to install the storage tank consisting of 5 No. 45m rows of 1.5m diameter pipe connected with a manifold at either end and providing a storage capacity of 390m³. This system is designed to capture excess stormwater, which will travel along the pipes to the existing local pumping station to be treated before going back into the environment.

With more frequent and extreme weather events, including sudden downpours and rising sea levels, these conditions heighten the risk of flooding, particularly in vulnerable areas. This project plays a crucial role in enhancing Anglian Water’s resilience by significantly reducing the risk of flooding caused by heavy rainfall, helping to protect local communities and infrastructure from the growing challenges posed by a changing climate.