Hydro Intl. to Help Alleviate Flooding in Ottawa

Hydro Intl. has announced an agreement to supply the city of Ottawa, Canada, with 940 Reg-U-Flo Vortex Valve inlet control devices to alleviate basement flooding in the downtown area.

The city expects to install 485 Reg-U-Flo devices in a two-phase project by the summer of 2009. Ottawa is planning to procure and install another 455 Hydro inlet control devices in mid-2009 as part of a large-scale upgrade of the drainage system in the O’Connor Street area, just south of the St. Lawrence River.

The city has reported a large number of basement flooding incidents over the years in the combined sewer area resulting from surcharging of the city’s combined sewers, which carry wastewater and storm water in the same pipes. When too much storm water enters streetside catch basins, the sewer can surcharge, leading to flooded basements in low-lying areas.

The city plans to use the Reg-U-Flo vortex valves to restrict the storm water flows into the combined sewers. The valves accomplish this through simple fluid hydraulics. Designed with a snail or conical shape, high storm water flows initiate a vortex within the valve that restricts the flow of water that can pass through the device. When head pressure builds, water circulates in a vortex pattern, allowing an air core to form within the device to prevent surging of water to the combined conveyance system.

“While we work on a long-term solution to our combined sewers, we needed to solve the basement flooding problem quickly,” said Darryl Shurb, a senior project manager in the City of Ottawa Public Works and Services Department. “The Reg-U-Flo Vortex Valve provides us with a reliable, cost-effective solution that will generate results right away.”

“We are proud that the city of Ottawa has chosen the Hydro Reg-U-Flo for its flow-control needs,” said Neil Raymond, general manager of Hydro Intl.’s wet weather operations based in Portland, Maine. “The technology is proven worldwide, with more than 17,000 installations, and we are looking forward to great success with the device in Ottawa.”

Hydro’s wastewater and wet weather business units are showcasing their products at the WEFTEC.08 conference from Oct. 19 to 22 at the Horizon McCormick Place in Chicago. The Hydro International wastewater team is at Booth #32031 and the Hydro International wet weather team is at Booth #28157.

Source: Hydro International