The provision of a safe and sustainable water supply is a pre-requisite for all new building developments and urban regeneration schemes.  Historically, water has been obtained from natural fresh water sources close to the point of consumption. As the scale of residential, commercial and agricultural development increases, water often has to be obtained from sources more remote from the point of consumption.

Buro Happold’s infrastructure engineers advise on potential sources of water, the requirements for treatment and the optimum means of storage, distribution and disposal. Where the water source is of poor natural quality – for example brackish water – we will balance the comparative cost of treatment (such as desalination) against the cost of piping better quality water to the site.

We investigate and manage problems in all areas of water supply, carrying out careful site analysis of the soil and groundwater to identify potential hazards such as flood risk and pollution. Our infrastructure engineers work side by side with ecologists and environmental specialists to ensure that abstraction from boreholes or rivers has a minimal impact on natural resources and wildlife habitats.

Buro Happold is committed to the design, procurement and management of sustainable water solutions in all sectors of the construction industry. In addition to distribution networks and service reservoirs, we are able to develop private water supplies to meet the particular needs of clients, from high purity drinking water to large volumes of water for industrial purposes.

The efficient design and maintenance of the water distribution system is essential to conserve water resources and ensure a consistency of supply to communities. Using advanced analysis tools we carry out detailed modelling of flow characteristics in utility pipes, tunnels and pumped networks. To optimise water flow we test for pressure (head) loss and assess the operational efficiency of hydraulic components.