When you’re a leisure centre manager you will know that when things go wrong, they go badly wrong – and quickly.

There are regular reports in regional papers about leisure centres being forced to close because of blocked drains or flooding. No one likes the idea of using a pool if there’s even the slightest chance of swimming in contaminated water, or not being able to have a shower after a hard gym session.

In addition to the cost and disruption to business, closures also do tremendous reputational harm to operators.

The unexpected will always happen, but a routine maintenance programme, backed up by a 24-hour emergency service can at least mitigate some of the effects.

Leisure centre drainage disasters

Over the past few years there have been a number of leisure centre closures caused by drainage problems:

  • Toilets, showers and sinks at a Fife leisure centre were blocked after heavy rain, forcing the centre to close for safety reasons while Scottish Water investigated a build-up of sewer water.
  • An unexpected drainage problem in the toilets of a leisure centre in the northeast caused it to close and a public apology from the local head of sport. The incident was described as unforeseen, but it wouldn’t take much to imagine the result.
  • A Swindon leisure centre had to install new drainage pipework after receiving regular complaints about the state of its toilets, which were regularly cordoned off with tape; six out of seven of its urinals were out of order at one point. Blocked drains due to a lack of investment were blamed.
  • Swimming lessons had to be cancelled at a Bicester leisure centre, which closed for several days because of drainage problems. These were caused by flooding after torrential rain.

Unfortunately, the simple solution to many of these problems is often greater investment. But in the meantime, for peace of mind, leisure centre managers can put an effective maintenance programme in place, using a drain and sewer partner with the training, expertise and equipment to deal with a problem, preferably before it forces a facility to close.

Prevent drain problem from shutting your sports facility

Aldershot-based Drain and Sewer Services has been supporting large-scale public facilities, including leisure centres and swimming pools, for over 50 years with a wide range of services:

  • Unblocking and cleaning drains and sewers. Shower traps, swimming pools, spas and toilets experience high levels of use and abuse in gyms and swimming pools, making them drains prone to blocking. We deal with blockages swiftly, using a range of specialist equipment with minimal disruption to operations, including a fleet of vehicle-mounted and portable jetting and tanker equipment that reaches any job.
  • Drain repairs. Drains can get blocked by debris or collapses due to broken linings, leading to backing up, flooding and bad odours. Remote-controlled camera systems can survey and inspect the state of drains of different widths to locate problems. Our engineers can then apply no-dig solutions to repair and unblock drains and sewers with no fuss.
  • Gutter maintenance. Gutterings get blocked in the autumn with fallen leaves, which can then cause water damage and damp problems to a premises structure. We use specialist equipment from Skyvac which let us clear guttering up to 36ft from the ground, avoiding the need for expensive ladders and scaffolding or the risk of working at height.
  • Pre-planned maintenance. The key to preventing many of the problems mentioned above is to have a routine maintenance and inspection programme with a trusted partner. It also makes budgeting easier than for emergency repairs. And should the worse happen, the existence of a plan can at least mitigate some reputational damage.

Does your leisure facility need drain and sewer support?

Regular maintenance reduces the chances of a show-stopping incident, but if something does go wrong, speed of reaction is critical. At Drain and Sewer Services, our specialist teams are all trained to work in public areas, safely and with minimal disruption, using the latest equipment and no-dig technology to solve problems quickly.

If you would like to talk to Drains and Sewer Services about our regular maintenance and emergency call-out services, call us today on 01252 312738 or email us at info@drainandsewer.co.uk to book in a visit.