How it Works
How Water belt works and the advantages over conventional pipe drainage.
What is groundwater?
Water above the surface of the ground is surface water; not groundwater. Groundwater is water which is below the surface, and occupies the spaces between soil particles and cracks in rock formations (pore space). The proper amount of groundwater provides the moisture plants require for growth, but the capacity for soil to hold water is limited. When this capacity is reached, water will build up; and if not drained, will begin accumulating on the surface.
The full cycle of water
Draining groundwater has a history of problems.
Surface water is drained by flow (migration from the high points to the low point), with typical methods being rivers, canals, and trenches. Flowing water causes erosion as it dislodges and carries soil particles.
Methods devised for draining surface water do not work for draining water below the surface since they are solutions based on flow. Typical solutions offered over the years consist of various shapes of pipe with holes, slots, or perforations of some variety. The flow channels created by the pipes, holes, slots, and perforations are quickly covered over with soil particles carried by the flowing water. Blocked drainage can’t be repaired without a complete excavation and replacement.
The story of drain rock
Experts will incorporate a layer of drain rock around the perforated pipe. For a short time, the large voids between the rock will provide space for the soil particles to settle before the water is carried into the pipe, and the drainage will function satisfactorily. But the layer of drain rock encourages water flow, causing erosion at a faster pace than would normally occur. After a short time, the spaces between the drain rock are filled with soil particles, the settling area no longer functions, and the soil particles are carried directly into the pipe.
Perforated pipe wrapped with filter materials
Recent perforated pipe design attempts to use a filter fabric wrapped around the outside of the pipe to prevent soil particles from entering the pipe. Particles are trapped in the voids of the filter material, and for this reason the voids rapidly fill with small soil particles, completely blocking the filter. Water can no longer pass through. All filter materials require replacement at regular intervals, but for ground water applications, it is impossible to replace the filter without excavating the entire system
Nature has more than a million years experience managing ground water using capillary, gravity, and siphon, and without clogging
Groundwater drainage that works…….and without drain rock and filter clogging problems
Groundwater has been migrating through the earth by capillary for billions of years, and without clogging. It works, and it’s about time we started emulating nature’s success rather than attempting to force a surface drainage solution where it can’t possibly work properly
What is WaterBelt?
Waterbelt is a specially designed pvc strip embedded directly in the soil. It collects ground water by using capillary action, and then removes all excess water to maintain a perfect moisture balance to support plant growth. The special design and operating method does not allow soil or sediment to enter the assembly, leaving only clear water to flow through the drainage system.
Capillary
The pore space of a soil may be filled with air (dry soil), partially filled with water (good growing conditions), or completely filled with water (saturated and requires drainage). The pore space is interconnected and forms continuous passageways for the migration of water. Water does not flow, but moves silently through the pore space by capillary without disturbing the soil particles.
A paper towel placed in wet soil demonstrates capillary and how water moves through the soil. Migration by capillary is equal in all directions, including up. Even though the paper towel is placed directly on the wet soil, there is no migration of soil into the paper towel.
Waterbelt works in the same way. Water must go up to access the micro channels through the slots on the underside. Only water travelling by capillary can do this, therefore, only clean water is collected. No drain rock, no filters, only clean water…..forever.
As water fills the micro channels and flows through the channels towards a discharge point, additional water is pulled into the channels by siphon action. Waterbelt is the most efficient water collection system available anywhere.
The combination of Waterbelt, a perfect solution for water collection, and pipe, a perfect solution for water transport, makes the Waterbelt system the ideal solution for an effective, sustainable drainage future
