44 ENVIRONMENTAL November | December 2026 AirportImprovement.com TPA gates, levees and a perimeter dike at Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport. Taking yet another tack, Philadelphia International and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International have elevated key infrastructure. Like TPA, Boston Logan Airport added an AquaFence system to its overall resilience program. It was deployed in and around Boston Harbor before a March 2018 nor’easter. As various airports explore their options, Patrik Hansson, president of AquaFence, is noticing more of an inclination toward action. “We’re seeing a real shift in how airport leaders approach flood protection, moving from discussion to active planning and budgeting,” he reports. “Decision makers are looking for real-time, proven solutions that can be quickly deployed, with protection and business continuity being the driving forces.” Leaders at TPA discovered their preferred option in 2024, when Tampa General Hospital deployed an AquaFence system to protect its facilities during Hurricane Helene. Discussions ensued with the Norwegian company’s Tampa office, and TPA bought a Clima Armour FloodWall in August 2025. The Aviation Authority awarded H.L. Pruitt Corp. the contract for construction and ongoing maintenance. From early August to early September 2026, its crews poured concrete pads and embedded anchoring systems within them to secure the barrier during the extreme weather for which it is designed. A pump system also was installed to divert water from heavy rainfalls away from the vault area. The vaults’ proximity to one of the airport’s satellite boarding areas created challenges for project designers and construction crews alike. “We had to be sure that we took extra care to make sure that the buried electrical conduits were taken into consideration and not struck while they placed the foundations for the barrier,” Seeley explains. As a precaution, H.L. Pruitt used hydrovaccing/hydro evacuation when digging and clearing away onsite debris. The method leverages high-pressure water and a vacuum system to expose obstructions such as utility lines without damaging them. “They did a fantastic job,” says Seeley, noting that crews didn’t hit any conduits or other utilities. A Contingency That Can be Stored Clima Armour FloodWall, the particular model TPA selected, is 9 feet high and the tallest version AquaFence sells. The panels are made of marine-grade stainless steel and Baltic birch plywood covered in Clima Armour™, the company’s proprietary surface coating for added durability; polyvinyl sheeting and gaskets help seal out floodwater. According to AquaFence, the system can be set up in eight to 12 hours. When not in use, the panels are stacked and stored at the airport. TPA had an existing contract with Belfor PATRIK HANSSON PHOTO: TPA The 150-panel flood barrier is stored on site and assembled only when needed.
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