WJ News

Latest News and Updates from WJ Groundwater and across the Industry.

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Emergency Residential Condo & Commercial Development Dewatering

Residential Condo and Commercial Developments

Residential Condo and Commercial Developments are bread and butter to WJ and have formed a large chunk of our dewatering both at home in and Toronto, as well as overseas.

Emergency Call-Out

This project was however a little different as WJ were engaged to provide emergency remedial response work. The existing dewatering contractors had installed an external perimeter dewatering system, alongside localised internal dewatering, but this system was struggling to achieve the required drawdown for the final elements of the excavation.

UOIT multilevel excavation
New UOIT development

Successfully Dewatered

WJ stepped in using our unique well point system, including utilising our specialised drilling methods to install included wellpoints through the caisson piles. Our small drilling rigs allow us to handle intricate projects requirements and access near impossible spaces. With our unique systems and equipment, the required drawdown has successfully been achieved.

WJ dewatering in Oshawa
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Dan CarpenterEmergency Residential Condo & Commercial Development Dewatering
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Charisma Condos, Vaughan

Charisma Condos, Vaughan

Vaughan, home of Canada’s Wonderland, the largest amusement park in the country, is one of Canada’s fastest growing cities. It is this growth, and in particular the Charisma Condo project, that took us the short distance north from our Toronto HQ.

Multi-tower Condo Development

The Charisma Condo is a multi-tower development with numerous phases of deep excavations in to underlying water bearing soils. Due to the scale of the project and this aquifer, the client had initially considered putting in a full cut-off caisson wall, designed for hydrostatic loading. This would have eliminated the need for dewatering but at a cost of many millions of dollars.

UOIT multilevel excavation
New UOIT development

Fixed-price dewatering guarantee

Early client engagement here was key. WJ were able to explain to the client that the previous groundwater problems they had experienced in the area could be eliminated with WJ’s dewatering techniques, which could offer significant overall cost savings for the project compared to the installed of a cut-off caisson wall. Convinced of our abilities and understanding of the conditions on site, we offered a fixed price guarantee on the performance of the dewatering system.

Project Cost Savings

Via the installation of our dewatering system the client was able to complete the excavations without either problematic groundwater or the expense of the cut-off caisson. This project demonstrate how working with WJ from an early stage on a project can save condo developers time and money, as well as reducing the overall project risk.

  • LOCATION: Vaughan, Ontario
WJ wellpoint installation at UOIT September 2019
WJ dewatering in Oshawa
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Dan CarpenterCharisma Condos, Vaughan
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Finch West LRT Project, Toronto

The Dewatering Vendor of Choice for Toronto LRT Projects

The success of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT (Light Rail Transit) project (also known as Line 5) in Toronto, where we have provided dewatering services to great effect on 12 of the 14 stations, has led to WJ becoming the dewatering vendor of choice for large LRT projects in the city.

Finch West LRT

Building on the success of this project, WJ have recently begun work on the Finch West LRT project. The Finch West Project (also known as Line 6) continues the expansion of public transit services in Toronto and is expected to carry some 40,000 passengers per day by 2031. Our initial works on the project will cover the two new underground station that are due to be constructed: the new terminus at Humber College and the new interchange terminus at Finch West, where the new line will connect with the Line 2 extension to York University.

UOIT multilevel excavation
New UOIT development

Finch West Station

The Finch West Station includes a deep connection to the existing subway station and an underground track crossing – in short a deeply complex project, that will require the installation of deep wells, wellpoints and eductor wells. Fortunately these types of projects are second nature to WJ and perfectly demonstrate our creative and flexible approach to providing successful and efficient dewatering solutions that we have shown on thousands of project in Canada and elsewhere across the globe!

Humber College Station

The Humber College station, located adjacent to Highway 27 will be another opportunity to demonstrate many of the dewatering techniques that were used to great effect on the deep excavations of the Eglinton Crosstown project.

We are proud to be given the opportunity to contribute to this exciting project, and the continued expansion of public transit projects in Toronto, and look forward to its successful completion, and having the opportunity to hop on board!

WJ wellpoint installation at UOIT September 2019
WJ dewatering in Oshawa
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Dan CarpenterFinch West LRT Project, Toronto
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Sump Pit Completion at Caledonia Station

The Eglinton Crosstown represents the largest transit expansion in Canada. It will completely change how residents and visitors in Toronto get around this great city. 19 kilometres of new light rail – 10km underground – that starts in the west end and travels right through the city to the east end, with 25 new stations and stops linking to 54 bus routes, three subway stations and various GO transit lines. That means shorter commutes, reliable and convenient transit and cleaner air.

But that kind of huge infrastructure project doesn’t come without more than its fair share of challenges! This was exactly the case at the Caledonia Station site. The ground conditions we encountered there were among the most challenging we’ve had to deal with in WJ’s long and successful involvement with the Eglinton project. However, we were confident that given our decades of experience and industry-leading practices, we were up for the challenge!

Eglinton Crosstown Caledonia Station dewatering
Eglinton Crosstown Caledonia Station dewatering
Eglinton Crosstown Caledonia Station dewatering

Multiple clay layers ran through the site, cutting up the aquifer into many different pieces. Factor in a massive 30m deep excavation, shored by soldier pile and lagging, and we had all the ingredients for a dewatering nightmare.

After coming in to rescue project developers, CTS, from an inferior dewatering system that couldn’t tackle these site conditions, WJ got to work with Crosslinx to uncover these layers. Our expert water management consultants deciphered the geology of ancient glacial lake bottom deposits that lay buried deep underground across Toronto.

However, in the world of dewatering, clay is clay. No matter how thin, a continuous layer can quickly change dewatering requirements.

Our deductions were proved correct when we uncovered a 1-inch thick layer of clay across the entire site. Working tireless to dewater each and every layer, WJ battled the water towards the base of the sump pit. From there. our sump pit dewatering actions provided a site suitable for CTS to complete their excavation and commence construction of the station from the bottom-up.

Eglinton Crosstown Caledonia Station dewatering
Eglinton Crosstown Caledonia Station dewatering
Eglinton Crosstown Caledonia Station dewatering

“WJ helped the Caledonia team through some very challenging conditions at Caledonia. They were committed and worked with us every step of the way. WJ’s can-do attitude was refreshing and much appreciated on this difficult and challenging site.”

– Daniel Sanchez, Project Manager, Caledonia and Keelesdale Stations.

Eglinton Crosstown Caledonia Station dewatering
Eglinton Crosstown Caledonia Station dewatering
Eglinton Crosstown Caledonia Station dewatering
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WJ Group AdminSump Pit Completion at Caledonia Station
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Royal Hospital For Sick Children, Edinburgh

The Royal Hospital for Sick Children has been based on it’s existing site in the heart of Edinburgh since 1895, however in 2005 it was decided by the local NHS Trust that a more modern facility should be constructed adjacent to the existing Edinburgh Royal Infirmary at Little France on the south-east edge of the city.

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Dan CarpenterRoyal Hospital For Sick Children, Edinburgh
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Brighton I360

In 2000, when the London Eye opened to huge critical acclaim and quickly became the UK’s most visited paid-for visitor attraction, countless cities wanted an ‘Eye’ of their own but found that a similar wheel design would not be financially viable without a suitable site or sufficient guaranteed visitor numbers.

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WJ Group AdminBrighton I360
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Scottish Power HQ

In 2012, energy firm Scottish Power announced plans to build a new 14-storey headquarters in Glasgow city centre housing around 1,500 staff.

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WJ Group AdminScottish Power HQ