KUCHING: With its aspirations of becoming a high income and developed state by 2030, it comes as no surprise that various developments ranging from infrastructure to housing are taking place in Sarawak.
As part and parcel of development, the state government has also focused on improving and upgrading urban drainage system statewide in efforts to reduce flooding.
The conventional drainage system has always relied on an open drain system in which large drains are deployed to serve as retention tanks for the purpose of reducing flooding.
These open and large drains act as temporary retention tanks during a downpour.
Unfortunately, such a system poses several problems like being unsightly, prone to clogging due to improper waste disposal and other underlying safety hazards.
These perennial problems often see the occurrence of flash floods in various areas, especially during the rainy season – this does not only present negative consequences to the people but also to the environment.
As such, Weida Integrated Industries Sdn Bhd (Weida) is offering a close drainage solution through its FLEXISS drainage pipe systems.
Weida stated that the FLEXISS drainage pipe systems could significantly assist the state government in its efforts to improve and upgrade the urban drainage system to reduce the occurrence of floods and flash floods.
With its recent launch at the International Water and Wastewater Exhibition and Conference (BIWWEC) 2022 on Oct 17 to 19, the FLEXISS pipe range is an extension of its existing FLOLINE 3W High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) profiled pipes.
“The HDPE profiled pipes have been widely accepted and used as drainage culverts in Sarawak for the past 20 years.
“Like the FLOLINE 3W, the FLEXISS is a profiled and structured wall pipe for low pressure and gravity-flow applications in conveying storm water and wastewater,” Weida explained.
Made from HDPE, the FLEXISS is manufactured with diameters ranging from 300mm to 5000mm using the spiral-wound technology.
Weida disclosed that the FLEXISS pipes are produced with integral socket-and-spigot pipe ends with the option of either rubber seal or electrofusion joints.
The FLIXISS pipes’ ends can easily and securely be connected to form watertight joints for applications like sewerage or drainage networks.
Through its drainage system upgrade project in Jalan Taman BDC-RH Plaza, Kuching implemented by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), Weida said there were many advantages of the HDPE pipe systems over conventional ones.
“Previously, the project site location utilised the open drainage systems for many years which saw the area in Jalan Stutong being subjected to frequent flash floods during the rainy season.
“The drainage system upgrade project deployed our HDPE pipes to mitigate such problems. This reference project of replacing existing open drain system with large HDPE pipes was implemented back in 2016.
“It was a great success as it has solved the flash flood problems in the area,” Weida said.
The FLEXISS pipes come in lengths of 6m or 9m each compared to the concrete drains of 2m segments, which means it required less work during installations as there are less joints.
Being manufactured from HDPE, which is lightweight, Weida said the FLEXISS pipes were easy to transport and handle.
“Moreover, the FLEXISS pipes are leak-free due to its secure joint feature as it is joined using seal tight methods. This is different from conventional ones which are positioned then the joints are plastered.
“The deployment of the FLEXISS pipes also incur lower foundation costs.”
On soft ground applications, the conventional systems require piling and slab to support the heavy weight of concrete drains.
“For the FLEXISS pipes, there is no need for piling and slab in the installation of a flexible pipe system which it offers.”
For the record, Weida is the pioneer in Sarawak for HDPE profiled and structured wall pipes whereby it introduced FLOLINE 3W pipes 22 years ago.
Weida has a proven track record of over 250km of pipes statewide in use by the Public Works Department (JKR), DID and plantations.
