The Story: Massport’s Preemptive Flood Defense for Utility Buildings

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy’s near-miss, the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) recognized the urgent need to protect its critical utility buildings and infrastructure near Boston Harbor and the airport. While Boston was fortunate not to suffer the full brunt of Sandy, the looming threat of future storms was enough to spark decisive action.

Massport issued a tender for flood protection products to safeguard vital assets from potential flooding. The goal was to ensure that the utility buildings would remain fully operational during and after any extreme weather events, especially if another storm like Sandy were to hit.

To address this challenge, Massport turned to AquaFence, seeking a solution that would offer maximum protection while maintaining the aesthetic integrity and functionality of the property. AquaFence’s design flexibility and non-invasive installation made it the ideal choice for protecting these critical facilities without disrupting their daily operations.

The Challenge: Protecting Vital Infrastructure in a Coastal Urban Environment

The key challenges included:

• Protection of utility buildings located near the airport and Boston Harbor, vulnerable to flooding from extreme weather events.

• Minimizing the impact on the urban hardscape and building design, ensuring the solution was compatible with the existing infrastructure.

• Ensuring the system could be deployed quickly only when needed, without affecting normal business operations.

The Solution: Seamless Integration with AquaFence’s Flood Barriers

AquaFence delivered the following solution:

• Custom flood barriers designed specifically for the urban environment of Boston, ensuring minimal impact on the buildings and surroundings.

• Rapid deployment system that could be set up only when a storm was imminent, without disrupting daily operations unless necessary.

• Onsite consultations and collaboration with engineers to ensure a perfect fit and seamless integration with the existing infrastructure, addressing all concerns related to flood defense.

The Results: Enhanced Flood Protection and Peace of Mind

Thanks to AquaFence’s tailored flood defense solution, Massport achieved:

• Comprehensive flood protection for its critical utility buildings, able to withstand future storm surges similar to Hurricane Sandy.

• Seamless deployment of the flood barriers when needed, without disrupting normal business operations unless a storm approached.

• Minimal impact on the aesthetics and design of the buildings, preserving the integrity of the hardscape and ensuring long-term functionality.

• Ensured resilience, with Massport confident that their infrastructure will remain operational even during extreme weather events like Hurricane Sandy.

AquaFence’s innovative flood barriers have enabled Massport to continue its operations without the fear of future flooding, playing a critical role in Boston’s disaster preparedness and climate resilience efforts.