Pressure pipes protect police centre from groundwater
Debrunner Acifer AG has supplied the pipes for four water-bearing pressure pipes under the new cantonal police centre in Niederwangen. The centre is scheduled for completion in 2028.
The new police centre in Niederwangen is under construction and will house the entire cantonal police command infrastructure. According to a press release, four pressurised water pipes have been laid in the ground beneath the new building. Debrunner Acifer AG from St.Gallen supplied high-pressure PE pipes for these so-called culverts.
Culverts serve as diversions and are usually used to cross under roads, canals or rivers, according to the press release. They are necessary for the new police centre due to the high groundwater level. They keep the water in check so that it does not press against the building from below. The rainwater that crosses the site is also diverted with the help of the culvert and drained away together with the groundwater.
In contrast to conventional pipes, culverts are always filled with water, making them pressurised pipes. Debrunner Acifer supplied high-pressure PE pipes for these pipes. “High-pressure PE pipes are not required for normal wastewater pipes. Thanks to the gradient, the water always flows away and does not remain permanently in the pipe. However, culverts are always filled with water – and the pipes have to be able to withstand this,” says Gerhard Peter, head plumbing fitter at Ramseyer und Dilger AG in Bern, which laid the Debrunner Acifer pipes.
All four culverts were completed in December 2024. However, it will still be a while before the cantonal police can take possession of their new police centre. the project is expected to be completed and the building ready for occupation in 2028.