Pre-Construction Drainage Survey at High School in Bolton
Pre-construction CCTV drainage survey carried out at a high school in Bolton ahead of a proposed bathroom facility extension.
The survey was undertaken to confirm the location, condition and capacity of the existing private foul drainage system before construction works began, helping the project team understand whether the drainage network could support an additional toilet installation.
Location: Bolton, Greater Manchester
Service: Pre-Construction drain survey
Overview
We were instructed to carry out a pre-construction drainage survey at a high school in Bolton, Greater Manchester, where the client was planning to extend an existing bathroom facility.
Before the proposed new toilet installation could progress, the project team needed to understand the condition and capacity of the existing private foul drainage system. This included confirming whether the drainage infrastructure was suitable to accept the additional sanitary connection and identifying any defects that could affect long-term performance.
Pre-construction CCTV drainage surveys are particularly important on schools and education sites, where drainage issues can cause disruption, maintenance problems and delays to planned improvement works.
What we did
We carried out a CCTV drainage survey using a push rod CCTV camera to inspect the accessible private foul drainage system serving the proposed bathroom extension area.
The purpose of the survey was to:
Confirm the location of existing drainage assets
Assess the condition of the foul drainage network
Review the capacity and performance of the system
Identify defects that could affect the proposed toilet installation
Determine whether remedial works were required before construction
Provide clear drainage evidence for the project team
The survey identified several structural defects throughout the drainage network, including cracked, broken and fractured sections of pipework, displaced joints and fine root ingress.
Settled deposits were also identified within the pipeline, reducing the effective bore of the drainage system and potentially affecting the free flow of wastewater.
The outcome
Although the drainage system remained operational at the time of the survey, it was not considered advisable to connect the proposed new toilet until the identified defects had been addressed.
The structural defects had compromised the integrity of the drainage system and created potential pathways for groundwater ingress and wastewater egress. If left unaddressed, these defects could deteriorate further, increasing the risk of blockages, ground instability and eventual pipe failure.
The settled deposits were also an important finding. The introduction of an additional toilet would increase the volume of solids entering the drainage network, and without remedial works this could increase the likelihood of future blockages and maintenance issues.
Based on the findings, we recommended:
High-pressure water jetting to remove settled deposits
Cleaning the pipework to restore the full internal diameter
Internal root removal where fine root ingress was identified
Localised structural lining repairs to seal cracks, fractures and displaced joints
Targeted excavation and pipe replacement where sections were too severely damaged for lining
Completion of remedial works before the new toilet connection is made
Subject to the completion of the recommended remedial works, the drainage infrastructure would be suitable to support the proposed toilet installation and provide a reliable, serviceable system capable of accommodating the increased foul water discharge over the long term.
This project is a strong example of why pre-construction drainage surveys are important before extending school facilities. By identifying drainage defects before construction begins, the client and project team can plan repairs, reduce the risk of future blockages and ensure the drainage system is ready for increased use.
Location
The project was carried out at a High School in Bolton.
We provide pre-construction CCTV drainage surveys for renewable energy companies, contractors, schools and infrastructure teams across the UK, helping identify the layout, condition and serviceability of underground drainage assets ahead of installation or construction works.
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