I recently had the opportunity to host a national webinar on the topic of Ports & Airports and thought it would be a good idea to mention some of the items that were discussed on the Pipe Blog for those who may have missed it. Ports and Airports are like little cities with both little and big problems. These issues can vary quite vastly, but there are two major site constraints they both have in common : (1) heavy loads with large aircrafts and loaders rolling over the top and (2) large flat surfaces such as tarmacs or unloading areas or long narrow roadways such as runways or haul roads.

Improper handling of surface runoff on these areas can lead to business disruptions, which cannot be tolerated as they come at a very high cost. This interruption is viewed as a huge negative by owners. This most certainly matters to them, which matters to you, which matters to us!

What is the best method to convey rainfall from that large, impervious surface? The design issue here is how to efficiently remove surface water or maybe pollutants such as glycol off a large area. How do you get all that water off that big surface to avoid ponding?

Contech Slotted Drain™ has been used at countless locations throughout the U.S. for over forty years. Simply because, it is the most effective solution to water removal problems. Slotted Drain improves drainage efficiencies up to 50% when compared to most 2’ x 2’ inlet grates. It is manufactured with steel and is structurally designed to tolerate loads of larger aircrafts and loader equipment. Additionally, it is both easy to install and easy to maintain, providing an enhanced conveyance solution for those large flat areas.

Slotted Drain is custom designed for each site, so if a stub, bulkhead, tee or elbow are needed, we can easily fabricate with the system to mimic your site. Systems are site specific, and a custom drawing will be provided. If you can imagine it, we can likely build it. Just a side note, we are talking about tarmacs and haul roads here. If you need to place this system into pedestrian traffic or a sidewalk, we do have a premium heel guard that can be used for additional protection. If you’re designing for a large, flat surface area, please reach out to your local pipe area manager, like myself, to see how a Slotted Drain design may enhance your site while providing an efficient surface runoff solution.