The importance of asking questions

It is usually around the age of three that children enter the so-called “why?” phase. I remember my son at that age; he wanted to learn about and understand everything.

As we grow, we gradually lose that capacity to marvel at everyday life, which children display at three years old. However, we would all agree that knowledge always begins by posing a question, by encountering a problem and looking for a solution.

It is within this context that the town council of Salou in Spain launched a citizen participation process to incorporate suggestions from residents into the town remodelling project, an ambitious plan to transform the town and make it more pleasurable, more sustainable and more accessible.

One of the suggestions from residents incorporated into the project was the need to resolve rainwater drainage issues in the town.

That is why José Javier Gijón from the engineering company TADEC got in touch with our technical department. He wanted our advice regarding the installation of a new drainage system at Avenida Carles Buïgas, one of the main shopping streets in the town.

Which area needs to be drained?

What kind of sewerage system will our channels be draining into?

Are there any height limitations in the area?

These were just some of the questions we asked to understand the situation, so we could then find the best solution.

We have an ally at ULMA to help us carry out bespoke studies: the cross-platform software Optimal Drain, which we use this to perform hydraulic calculations. Carrying out these studies beforehand helps us to accurately determine the best channel and grating for the project, with the lowest possible cost for the customer.

MULTIV+ technical drainage

We eventually determined that an installation with MultiV+ technical drainage channels at three different heights would solve the problem.

There were areas with height limitations along the entire length of Avenida Carles Buïgas, so we had to install models that ranged from 80 mm to 320 mm in height.

Although the avenue is pedestrianised, it is also a tourist area with many businesses, hence trucks are also constantly driving through to load and unload goods. That is why MultiV+ channels were installed with grates for load classes of up to D400.

Nevertheless, we still have some questions:

Why use the MultiV+ System?

The short answer is because of its hydraulic capacity, and the long answer is as follows:

The V-shaped design of the MULTIV+® channels was developed to drain water faster and improve the channel's self-cleaning capacity. Its optimised section, which is larger than the traditional V-shaped sections currently on the market, provides superior hydraulic capacity with extreme flows, making it the best option for stretches with no longitudinal slope.

The result is a central, fully pedestrianised street with no drainage problems. Mission accomplished!