Installation Guideline: EcoTubes™ Geotextile Dewatering Tube

EcoTubes™ Installation Procedure

  1. Grade the site to remove any debris, rocks, roots etc. Level the site from side to side with no more than a 0.5% grade from end to end.
  2. If required, construct a containment berm around the dewatering site perimeter. A rule of thumb is the height of the containment berm should be approximately 33% to 67% of the potential EcoTube™ dewatering tube height.
  3. A trench should be excavated next to the containment berm, sloped to provide drainage to the opposite (lower) side of the dewatering site.
  4. If required, install an impermeable geomembrane (thickness as directed by the site engineer) over the entire dewatering site, including the drainage trench and the perimeter berm. A medium weight nonwoven geotextile may be used to help protect the geomembrane. Consult the project engineer for details.
  5. Place drainage rock, sand or other free draining granular material and cover the entire site with the exception of the drainage trench and containment berms. Occasionally, the engineer may also require these structures to be covered. Some projects have utilized a geonet as an alternative drainage media.
  6. Unroll and deploy the EcoTube™ dewatering tube on top of the drainage media starting on the upper end of the dewatering site. Use the loop straps to correctly align the EcoTube™ dewatering tube.
  7. Set up your make down polymer injection system with the polymer best suited for your project. After injecting the required polymer into the sludge stream, collect a sample of the flocced material prior to pumping the treated sludge into the EcoTube™ to ensure the desired results.
  8. To start pumping the treated sludge stream into the EcoTube™ dewatering tube, attach your discharge line to the filling port(s). The use of a multiple port manifold may be required to efficiently fill multiple EcoTubes™ tube/ports.
  9. Do not exceed the design parameters of your specific EcoTubes™ dewatering tube. Please refer to "EcoTubes™ Geotextile Tube Volumes & Dewatering Capabilities" for guidelines.
  10. EcoTubes™ dewatering tubes can be topped off multiple times, but do not exceed the design parameters.
  11. Once the material has dewatered, the EcoTube™ becomes full, or the project is completed, cut open the EcoTube™ to remove the dewatered solid material.