How does the water barrier ‘eXtra’ work?
The water barrier ‘eXtra’ is located in a concrete structure in a trench in the ground. When high water occurs the excess water flows into this concrete structure which causes the seperately floating light weight elements to be pushed upwards to float and create a temporary water barrier. As the water level rises the seperate elements fill up one by one until the maximum height is reached.

When the water level lowers again the elements will fit back into the trench in which it rests. The elements are lighter than water which makes them float. The sturdiness of the elements are guaranteed by a hard coating.

Advantages of the water barrier ‘eXtra’
The main advantages of ‘eXtra’ are that it is self automated, because it reacts to the level of water immediately. It is adaptable to specific wishes and requirements and can be completely integrated in the landscape as it fits in the ground when it’s in rest position. It’s a sustainable solution that can be used as a permanent and temporary solution. The water barrier would be perfect for use in urban areas as it takes up minimal space and is adaptable to very specific situations.

Grontmij’s involvement in the water barrier ‘eXtra’
Grontmij further developed the design of ‘eXtra’ after it was initially invented by an individual called Jan van der Loos. Grontmij together with contractor Van Dijk turned the design into a sustainable and economically viable solution for flooding.

Recognition
The eXtra has already won an award in the area of watermanagement and three large Dutch municipalities have indicated that they are interested in starting a pilot project with the innovation ‘eXtra’.

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For the press: the below pictures are downloadable from our image gallery. Please check our terms of use on the website and observe copyright by Losa 2009 (maker: Jan van der Loos).