The football pitch (or soccer pitch to those in the states) must meet exact regulations or else the game simply can’t be played. Maybe everything was constructed to meet exacting standards. The field is level, the goals are in place, the lines are drawn, and crowds are ready to fill in the seats to watch the game.
And then the first major storm comes…
If the drainage infrastructure underneath the field isn’t capable of efficiently removing water, the state of the field will deteriorate quickly. Let’s say the storm passes and the field is unscathed. Everything is all well and good, right? Well, maybe for now. How long before that system begins to clog and fail?
When water erodes the soil, it can create level changes across the surface of the field rendering it unplayable. Too much water on the surface, even if it is deemed playable, will significantly impact the state of play.
People have been playing games and facing off in competition for centuries. As sports have developed, and the rules of each game have become more well defined, so have the requirements and specifications surrounding the field, court, or other competition space. Even slight variations can disqualify a field from official competition.
Even if a field was meticulously designed and built, outside forces like the weather are sure to exert their influence. Enter: the drainage system. Drainage became a staple of modern construction because water is one of the primary causes of damage. Standing and running water alike can both make a field unplayable or detract from the state of the game.
Early drainage systems, like French drains, were simply rock-filled trenches that offered water a path of least resistance away from a given structure. Later, perforated drain pipes were laid into French drains to better facilitate this process. To this day, black corrugated and perforated pipe is one of the primary drainage tools used for this purpose. What is essentially century-and-a-half-old technology is our main drainage tool.
These systems are prone to clogging, are limited in their ability to take in water (referred to as the “inflow rate”), and are labor-intensive to both install and repair.
Hydraway drainage systems are the most advanced in the industry and are used worldwide for a range of different sports field drainage applications. What makes Hydraway different?
Higher Inflow Rate – Put simply, the inflow rate determines how quickly a quantity of water can enter the system. Hydraway has an inflow rate that is 70% greater than traditional perforated pipe systems. This helps eliminate standing water and more efficiently moves water away from where it can cause damage.
Clog Resistance – A high inflow rate wouldn’t count for much if it didn’t last. Hydraway systems boast a 0% failure rate when properly installed, meaning that repair costs over time are essentially eliminated.
Simple Installation – Hydraway ships in coils of custom length up to 2,250 feet. That means that a single length of Hydraway can be installed over 100 yards and is even long enough to stretch across multiple adjacent fields. Plus, Hydraway doesn’t suffer the negative effect of coil memory. When it’s laid down in its final spot, it lays flat. There is no need for installation crews to take the extra time to flatten it out.
European football isn’t the only sport that can benefit from an improved drainage solution. Gaelic football, hurling, rugby, cricket, and more all have similar concerns. That is, they aren’t water polo and require a pristine field for high-level play.
Building a new facility or considering how to upgrade your existing athletic field? Hydraway is an obvious choice when looking to prevent damage. You can’t control the weather, but you can control the water once it hits your field. Contact us today!