A customised slot grating by ULMA in an emblematic square of an historical Basque town.

ULMA has supplied its drainage solutions in the Main square of Azpeitia (Basque Country-Spain), an historical town funded in 1310.
As part of the ambitious project to restore the emblematic square, in which the citizens have chosen to preserve the historic bandstand, a design was developed that required, among other aspects, a change in the square's sanitation lines without affecting the aesthetics.

As a result, due to the square's characteristics, quite considerable slopes were required towards the buildings in the lower part. For this reason and in order to maintain the aesthetics, a drainage system was proposed consisting of a hidden channel with double-intake single-slot grating. This solution contains a rainwater inlet in a 20-mm slot, divided into two symmetrical parts in compliance with the Accessibility Regulations for Urban Public Areas for Pedestrian use.
In addition, the choice of the single-slot grating, which is an inverted T-shaped model, means it totally blends in with the urban landscape, and integrates perfectly with the paving, maintaining the original aesthetics, essential in this project.

CUSTOMISED SOLUTION

At the request of the project designer, the grating was customised creating drainage housings so that the water reaching the grating, filtered from the slabs, does not stagnate, but returns to the channel. This prevents the deterioration of the installation and minimises the vegetation growing between the grating and the slab.

In total, approximately 80 metres of channelling and multiple sump units have been installed, adapted to the sanitation network's height requirements. The U-150 channel has been supplied in different heights and with two types of gratings; in a small part of the site ductile iron gratings have been installed and in the rest, the double-slot grating, customised in collaboration with the Municipal Architect.