This Man’s Unusual Purchase Saved His Home From Flooding

Buying a home is no small investment. It’s no wonder some homeowners will stop at nothing to ensure their houses are safe and protected.

One man from Rosharon, Texas, went into full-on survival mode when he purchased a reportedly $8,300 Aqua Dam to protect his home from flood damage.

Now, sure, this large plastic water-filled tube is an eyesore. But when his town flooded over 27 inches in 2016, lo and behold, his house remained completely untouched by the water. I think it’s safe to say it was well worth the funny looks he received from neighbors.

“Everybody was kind of going by and laughing at me, but today they’re really impressed by this Aqua Dam,” homeowner Robert Wagner told KHOU11 News.

What Is An Aqua Dam?

According to the AquaDam.net website, one aqua dam vendor, this product takes the place of sandbags when it comes to controlling a flood. Wagner drove from Texas to Louisiana to buy the 30-inch high tubing, which he and a few friends then installed around his home. The dam Wagner purchased is made from plastic and fabric, and when filled with water, it acts as a dam.

When the water level around Wagner’s home rose to 27 inches, his dam held with three inches to spare, turning his home into an island.

Aqua dams have been used around the world for various projects, including holding salt water from a Sea World tank while it was repaired and containing potentially radioactive runoff water from the site of a nuclear accident.

A 21-foot tall AquaDam and two smaller versions were used to close off an intake channel from a lake in California.

The clever homeowner, Wagner, told KHOU that it wasn’t easy to install the aqua dam around his home. It’s definitely not the prettiest thing to look at either, but in the end it was worth it.

Will We Be Seeing More Aqua Dams In Use?

Flood damage has affected various parts of the country in recent weeks, and experts say flooding is something we should become increasingly prepared for. If you live in an area that’s prone to flooding, you may want to look into getting yourself an aqua dam to rely on as these other homeowners have, too.

Updated 7/25/17

[h/t: Rare]