Wavin TreeTank®

Revolutionizing Urban Greenery for Sustainable Cities

Cities around the world are intensifying their “greenification” efforts. And although trees do play a key role in urban life, they can be vulnerable and can be a significant investment. They are expensive to maintain, to grow and to stay healthy. But the benefits of trees far outweigh the challenges.

Wavin has been at the forefront of using plastic stormwater infiltration units and these units have now been applied to serve as a Wavin TreeTank.

The Wavin TreeTank solution is a modular system and can be installed much faster and easier, compared to traditional systems.

At the location where the tree will be planted, a hollow space is created in which the plastic Wavin TreeTank units are placed. The tree is planted, and the surrounding area is backfilled.

To stabilize the tree, it is anchored in place. Uncompacted soil is added, securing both water and nutrients to reach the roots. Rainwater is introduced into the root volume via rainwater collection and pipe systems.

Room For Root Growth

A Wavin TreeTank provides room for root growth and keeps roots in their intended rooting zones. Wavin TreeTanks are the perfect solution in places where roads and sidewalks will be combined with trees.

Trees Develop More Quickly

Trees develop more quickly when planted in a Wavin TreeTank, by providing the ideal environment for roots to grow quickly.

Stimulate The Growth of Anchor Roots

Wavin TreeTanks stimulate the growth of anchor roots since these roots develop in well-drained and uncompacted soil. Anchor roots help to mitigate the risk of the trees becoming uprooted.

Eliminate the Risk of Root Penetration

Wavin TreeTanks eliminate the risk of roots penetrating roads, pavements, and pipelines.

Quick and Easy Installation

The modular units with integrated connectors allow for a very quick (and easy) installation. This minimizes the length of time that the roads will be closed off.

Easily Customized

Different types of trees need varied sizes and shapes of tree root boxes. Due to their size and modular connection, these Wavin TreeTanks can easily be customized into whatever volume and shape is needed.

Ship Building

Obstructions in the soil – like pipework – require a flexible system. Existing and new pipes can be easily integrated into the Wavin TreeTank.

Designed to Withstand

Wavin TreeTanks have been designed to withstand continuous traffic loads up to 3-ton wheel load and incidental heavy traffic up to 5-ton wheel load, with an applied cover depth of 1.31 ft.

The Importance of Wavin TreeTanks

Trees produce oxygen, improve air quality, and contribute to a better living environment. Trees can also lower summer temperatures and are even considered the ‘central air-conditioning system’ of a city.

Cities around the world are intensifying their “greenification” efforts. And although trees do play a key role in urban life, they can be vulnerable and are a significant investment. They are expensive to maintain, to grow and to stay healthy. But the benefits of trees far outweigh the challenges.

Planting trees in the traditional way – immediately adjacent to roads, pavements, and engineered structures – causes trees to struggle to grow. Often, these trees can die or have their roots push through the pavement, ruining roads and walkways.

Roots are the vital lifeline for any tree, sucking up moisture and nutrients from the soil. When there is no aeration, moisture, or nutrients in the soil for the roots to thrive – due to the proximity of hard surfaces like roads and pavements – then trees simply cannot survive.

Unprotected roots can cause unsafe conditions when they penetrate pavements and roads, and when a whole tree becomes uprooted or the roots project through the surface area, it can cause a hazard for pedestrians and motorists.

Solving root penetration is costly. Often trees cause damage to roads and paths that need expensive repair work.

To overcome these problems, most cities build Wavin TreeTanks or tree pits – constructions around the tree roots with uncompacted soil, allowing water and nutrients to reach the tree roots. Uncompacted soil is essential for trees. However, the outside of the Wavin TreeTank construction requires compacted soil to avoid uneven road surfaces (like potholes) and transfer the loads from (heavy) traffic. The only way to combine well-compacted soil with uncompacted soil is to use a Wavin TreeTank.

Safe and Efficient

Future generations face a 40% shortfall between water supply and demand. Alongside other experts, Wavin is working to deliver safe and clean water security through enhanced rainwater reuse, the digitalization of water management and more secure and durable piping.

Sanitation and Hygiene

Outdated sewer systems are overwhelmed by a triple whammy of urbanization, population growth and climate change. We are working towards a healthier future with long-lasting sanitation solutions that deliver greater capacity, fewer leaks, less clogging and better monitoring.

Climate Resilient Cities

Smarter systems are needed to meet the five big challenges our cities face: floods, droughts, heat stress, ground water depletion and surface-water pollution. From roof to river, we are helping with connected water capture, attenuation, cleaning, reuse, and transportation solutions to make cities climate resilient.

Building Performance

Constrained by time, cost, and product sourcing challenges, many of today’s buildings fail to deliver on their expected performance. Through improved digital modelling, we can help our partners predict time and resource needs throughout the building process and provide intelligent solutions for better urban living.