Academy Trust Drainage Survey & Infrastructure Assessment

Academy Trust Schools – Drainage Asset Survey & Infrastructure Assessment

Birmingham, West Midlands

Project Overview

Civils & Environmental were appointed by a multi-site Academy Trust in Birmingham to undertake a comprehensive drainage survey programme during the school holiday period.

The surveys were carefully scheduled outside of term time to eliminate disruption to pupils, staff and day-to-day school operations whilst allowing unrestricted access to key areas across the campus.

The primary objective of the project was to identify the location, connectivity and condition of the existing drainage infrastructure and integrate the findings with an ongoing topographical survey. The combined data was required to support the planning and design of proposed building extensions and future site developments.

Project Objectives

The Academy Trust was considering a number of building improvement and expansion projects and required a clear understanding of the existing below-ground infrastructure before progressing to the design stage.

Key objectives included:

Locating existing drainage assets
Establishing drainage connectivity across the site
Assessing the condition of existing pipework and chambers
Identifying potential constraints to future development
Verifying drainage routes against existing records
Providing accurate drainage information for design teams
Integrating drainage data with topographical survey information

Scope of Works

Civils & Environmental delivered a comprehensive drainage investigation package including:

Drainage Asset Mapping

Identification of existing manholes and inspection chambers
Verification of drainage routes
Asset location recording
Drainage connectivity assessments
Network mapping

CCTV Drainage Surveys

Internal inspection of drainage pipework
Condition assessments
Defect identification
Confirmation of pipe sizes and materials
Recording of structural observations

Survey Coordination

Liaison with topographical survey teams
Cross-referencing of drainage infrastructure
Asset positioning and verification
Production of coordinated survey information

Site Investigations

Access chamber inspections
Flow direction verification
Surface water and foul drainage identification
Infrastructure risk assessments

Key Challenges

Live Educational Environment

Although the surveys were completed during school holidays, careful planning was still required to ensure safe access across the campus and maintain security arrangements for the Trust's facilities.

Complex Existing Infrastructure

Many of the drainage assets had evolved over time through previous site developments and modifications, making accurate verification of drainage routes essential before any future construction works could be considered.

Future Development Requirements

The survey information needed to provide designers and consultants with sufficient detail to identify potential clashes between proposed buildings and existing drainage infrastructure.

Solutions Delivered

Through a combination of drainage investigations and CCTV surveying, Civils & Environmental successfully established the layout and condition of the site's underground drainage network.

The information gathered was integrated with topographical survey data to create a coordinated understanding of both above-ground and below-ground infrastructure.

This enabled the client and design team to:

Identify drainage constraints affecting future developments
Understand the condition of existing assets
Plan potential drainage diversions where required
Reduce design-stage risk
Improve cost certainty for future construction projects

Outcome

The completed survey programme provided the Academy Trust with a detailed understanding of its existing drainage infrastructure, supporting informed decision-making for future building developments.

By carrying out the works during the school holiday period, Civils & Environmental delivered the surveys efficiently and safely while avoiding disruption to the educational environment.

The project demonstrates our ability to provide specialist drainage investigations, asset verification and infrastructure surveying services that support successful planning, design and development across education estates.