Ontario Construction Report special feature

With an increased environmental focus, dewatering on infrastructure projects has become more challenging, but technological advances are creating new opportunities for specialists including Aquatech Dewatering Company.

Aquatech president Andy Ingriselli says, while his company may have begun in 2006 as a groundwater dewatering specialist, the business has expanded its scope. “Our early work focused on allowing infrastructure work to continue below ground where high groundwater tables were a factor, but we quickly recognized the need for a lot of different pumping services and we now operate more as a complete fluid management company.”

Ingriselli says Aquatech now supplies pumping services that delivers a range of pumping services from extraction of groundwater right up to transfer of slurries; they also establish temporary bypasses of sewers and creeks as well as supplying temporary fire pumps and they specialize in emergency response services. “Dredging of storm water management ponds is another new area of our business,” he says. “Especially in southern Ontario where it seems a lot of these ponds are in need of maintenance now and the best method is dredging which is a less intrusive and an environmentally safe way to do what needs to be done while keeping them online and functional.”

Applying the technologies at hand and adapting global technologies to Ontario's environment, Ingriselli says his business has been able to fill a void he feels no one else has served effectively. “The demand for our expanded services is high,” he said. “We accepted both the challenge and the responsibility in taking on this larger function.”

Aquatech's experts can contribute most effectively when they are consulted before projects commence. “What we like to see, and what is happening more, is our involvement from pre-construction through wrap-up, a complete managed solution,” Ingriselli says.

He says that it is vital to anticipate the needs and requirements of all stake holders.  “We work closely with the regulators and engineers to ensure we are meeting compliance requirements while meeting the intent of the project needs. We work with professionals like engineers, hydrogeologists, biologists and ecologists and other specialists to ensure we are following best management practices and that in all cases, potential environmental impacts are minimized.”

Ingriselli says increasingly work is year-round, with “no winter shutdowns” in the past five years.  “Planning is more proactive to get over weather challenges in many cases, and necessity and experience combined ensures we keep up with advancing technologies.”

He speaks of working in Ontario’s true north where winter protection and heating systems keep water moving in -40 degree weather. “The key is monitoring so we can be alerted at early stages of any potential problem to prevent freeze-ups and sites supported by automated backup equipment that take over if mechanical problems occur.”

As with all sectors, recruiting qualified people is a challenge but Ingriselli says as the company, and its reputation grows, more people with infrastructure and environmental experience are discovering Aquatech. “We recruit a lot of young people, provide training and in that way the company grows organically but attracting people with strong experience helps us grow in many other ways.”

Ingriselli says part of that growth is adding people to specific positions like application engineering, quality control and safety to ensure they not only comply but exceed standards.  “It can be a challenge though finding people with experience especially from a consulting background who can work at the accelerated pace of construction and keep up with the needs of an active or emergency project, but we have successfully assembled a very strong team.”

“The industry is growing,” he says. “Companies who used to simply rent pumps and handle their own pumping requirements are not handling their own fluid management any more. Instead they want a one-stop shop with specialists who can provide a turn-key dewatering solution, including the permits and monitoring reports that go along with the job today.”