Back in 2022 we watched people in Nelson stacking sandbags in the pouring rain to stop the Maitai River flooding the town. And since then, we’ve seen other communities heavily impacted by extreme weather and flooding events. All making us think, surely there must be a better alternative to sandbags out there?
Lots of R&D and Googling later we have now started manufacturing our ARK Flood Barriers.
Key facts:
- It would take 160 sandbags to do the job of just one ARK.
- Each ARK is 14.5m long, can be clipped together to make a continuous length, and works in straight lines or curves.
- ARK is super simple to deploy, reusable and affordable.
Water filled barriers have been used all over the world for decades, are an essential part of emergency response in North America and Europe, and are proven to work.
Tarpaulin Makers have adapted this concept to create a New Zealand designed and manufactured product – an affordable, simple and sustainable alternative to sandbags,
ARK is a reusable dam system where PVC tubes are joined together to create a continuous barrier to water. It is really flexible, can be rolled out and left in place while risk is assessed, then filled or moved as needed, meaning that key sites can be quickly encircled, ensuring safe gathering places or protection of critical locations and infrastructure. Once filled with water they become incredibly strong and heavy and mould to the ground. And, when the flood risk is over, the tubes can be emptied, rolled up and stored for next time.
Our size means New Zealand will always have limited funds and manpower to deal with disasters such as flooding. We’re excited to be producing what we believe is an affordable, easy-to-use tool to help lessen the impact on people, property and emergency resources.
