All these 20 FloodSax alternative sandbags came from this one easy-to-carry box All these 20 FloodSax alternative sandbags came from this one easy-to-carry box FloodSax alternative sandbags diverting floodwater away from businesses and down a drain FloodSax alternative sandbags diverting floodwater away from businesses and down a drain FloodSax sandless sandbags soaking up filthy water so a water repair can be carried out FloodSax sandless sandbags soaking up filthy water so a water repair can be carried out FloodSax come in handy vacuum packs of 5 so they are ideal to store on vans FloodSax come in handy vacuum packs of 5 so they are ideal to store on vans

How water companies can save themselves a fortune and a lot of negative publicity by using FloodSax sandless sandbags

Water companies could save hundreds of thousands of pounds every year simply by using FloodSax instead of traditional sandbags

A UK water company carried out a cost analysis using FloodSax rather than old-style sandbags and discovered it could potentially save them almost £1.5m a year.

This is because FloodSax can be deployed instantly, preventing floodwater getting into homes and businesses and leaking water freezing on roads and pavements, causing accidents.

All these kinds of incidents can lead to the water company facing very costly insurance claims and negative headlines in the media.

FloodSax alternative sandbags are made by Environmental Defence Systems Ltd based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, and around 3 million have been used worldwide over the last few years.

Company spokesman Richard Nikolic said: “A UK water company did an in-depth analysis of FloodSax against traditional sandbags which was the only product they were using to deal with floods and escapes of water at the time.

“Stepping back and analysing what they were doing made them realise that it was taking far too long to get sandbags from depots to the scene of flooding emergencies which meant they were facing angry customers and expensive insurance claims.

“The recommendation was to carry FloodSax on most of their frontline vehicles as they come vacuum-packed so are very space-saving to store and weigh virtually nothing. Once at the scene, they are immersed in water which the FloodSax absorbs and retains in its gelling polymer. The FloodSax then expands into instant alternative sandbag.

“Apart from insurance claims, the FloodSax also reduce the risk of environmental damage, regulatory fines, negative media publicity, poor customer perception and investors being deterred.”

So here are 10 reasons why a third of water companies in the UK now carry FloodSax.

  1. Far faster response to any flooding incident. Leaks, especially large mains bursts, can cause severe flooding on roads which can easily then get into homes, shops and other buildings.
  2. It means the first water repair crews to arrive at the scene of an incident to deal with the problem have an effective way to mitigate the flooding. FloodSax are space-saving and vacuum-packed so can be stored on vans while sandbags would be way too heavy and take up too much room on the vehicles. It would often take too long to send sandbags out from a depot to divert water away from homes and businesses as by then the water damage would have been done.
  3. Sandbags would need a 7.5 tonne truck or similar to take them to the scene of an emergency and the water company would require enough staff on hand to do it which can be very tricky out-of-hours when many floods happen. FloodSax can be carried in any water company vehicle, including cars, so are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
  4. FloodSax is a product that can be in action in around 5 minutes from the moment it’s taken out of a van to preventing water getting into a home or business.
  5. In winter there is the added risk of water running across pavements and roads, freezing and causing serious injury to pedestrians and road accidents. Again, FloodSax can be quickly deployed to divert escaping water down drains rather than across roads and pavements before it freezes.
  6. When water company engineers have to dig down to deal with a water pipe or sewage emergency the area around where the problem is can often be filled with filthy water. FloodSax can be deployed in its dry state to soak this up so the engineers can see clearly to do the work.
  7. If joints are seeping, FloodSax in their dry state can be put under them to soak up any leaking water to prevent it from spreading.
  8. Prevent chlorinated water getting into a watercourse due to a leak or burst main.
  9. Sandbags deteriorate when stored in yards or cold warehouses and often fall apart when they come into contact with floodwater.
  10. FloodSax are largely biodegradable by weight so are far more environmentally friendly than old-style sandbags.

For more on FloodSax go to https://www.floodsax.co.uk/