Puddle pumps are designed for situations where water levels are very low, or, need to be pumped very low. In these conditions, a standard submersible pump would either work for a short period of time and burn out, or not work at all – as the water levels were too low.
The EVAK Residox 400 used here is capable of pumping water down to approximately 1mm. That makes it particularly effective for dealing with residual water that accumulates behind flood barriers.
Most puddle pumps are manual, meaning they are turned on and off as required. This is deliberate. Manual operation allows the pump to achieve extremely low pumping levels.
Automatic puddle pumps do exist, but they generally do not pump down as low. They are usually better suited to confined spaces such as lift shafts, chambers, or sumps where unattended operation is required and a small standing water level is more acceptable.
In this case, the EVAK Residox was deployed on a driveway behind a Water-Gate flood barrier. The barrier performed well and prevented the bulk of floodwater from entering the property.
However, no flood defence system is completely watertight. Seepage is inevitable, particularly at ground level and through joints, interfaces, and underlying ground. That seepage water needs to be managed or it will accumulate on the dry side of the defence.
This flooding event was flash flooding from a small stream and typically lasts no more than four hours. Because of the short duration, a portable puddle pump was the most appropriate solution. For longer duration flooding such as river flooding, a Packaged Pump Station can often be preferable, as the system can collect water across a wider area and operate automatically via a float switch.
In this flash flood situation, the EVAK Residox could be placed exactly where water was pooling and moved as conditions changed. This flexibility is a major benefit of puddle pumps. The pump could also be used internally if required. Where flood barriers are installed at doorways, a puddle pump can be used inside the property to pump seepage water back out, helping keep internal water levels to a minimum.
Water pumps are essential in any flood defence scheme. Without them, seepage, rainfall, and groundwater can all build up behind defences.
During longer flood events, hydraulic gradient becomes an issue. Water will attempt to equalise, passing beneath flood wall foundations or rising through the ground. Active pumping is often the only way to manage this safely and prevent water levels from increasing behind the defence.
In this setup, the EVAK Residox was used with layflat hose. While this worked, as you will note, the hose was prone to kinking, which reduced the pump’s effective output.
To improve performance in future, either suction delivery hose could be used, or an elbow hose tail should be fitted. An elbow helps prevent sharp bends at the pump outlet and reduces friction losses. This improvement has been advised for future deployments.
The pump used here was the EVAK Residox 400 model. It provides 400 watts of power, an impressive maximum head of 11 metres, and a maximum flow rate of 250 litres per minute.
The use of layflat hose introduced friction losses that reduced the achievable flow slightly. Even so, the pump performed well enough to manage residual water and prevent the property from flooding.
The EVAK Residox is an excellent choice for flood risk management where low-level water needs to be controlled. Its portability, low pumping capability, and robust performance make it a highly desirable and widely used puddle pump in real-world flood defence scenarios.
You can view the EVAK Residox puddle pump for purchase here.
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A sump pump is an automatic water pump installed in a chamber at the lowest point of a property to collect and remove water when levels rise. Used for flood control, basements, garages and pumped drainage where gravity outfall is not possible, a correctly sized and installed system becomes a reliable, low-intervention water management solution.
