Syphon Draining

Siphon drain system used for slope stability

The syphon draining process is an innovative and proven solution developed by TP Geo in France to work with unstable slopes.

Syphon draining works by pumping water by gravity along primed siphon pipes. Wells are installed in or above the unstable zone of a slope and are pumped using siphons which exploit the natural sloping terrain. The wells reduce the pore pressure increasing the effective stress and stabilising the slope.

Priming of the syphon is controlled by an automatic flushing system located at the downstream outlet of each siphon pipe. This enables the siphon to operate intermittently at low flows, maintaining the prime by preventing the build-up of air in the syphon.

Why Use Syphon Draining?

This dewatering method is used for long term low flow rate pumping where a naturally sloping terrain can allow the system to operate.

WJ Groundwater has worked with TP Geo for the past 10 years and has partnership agreement for projects in the UK and Ireland.

Our highly trained team at WJ Groundwater have vast experience in dealing with syphon draining techniques. We can offer a complete solution from designing the system for your project, through to drilling and installation. Our professional management and on-site teams can deal with all operation and maintenance activities including pump testing and monitoring to ensure that the project is completed safely, efficiently and cost effectively.