BANES heads for deep water again in Bath Spa

A repeat of the leaking steam room floor fiasco at Bath Spa, which eventually led to Mowlem being pulled off the £40m project, could be on the cards after it was revealed that Bath & North East Somerset Council (Banes) has chosen another untested waterproofing product for the spa.

CJ has learnt that Banes, under the direction of architect Nicholas Grimshaw, is to use a Kemperol waterproofing membrane, produced by Kemper Sys-tems, on the steam room floor.

The product, according to the company’s website and product experts, has not been used in a natural spa environment before. Con-cerns over its use have led to Thermae, the future operator of the spa, demanding that the project team provide warranties and guarantees over its use.

Leaks in the room last year are claimed to have been caused by Grimshaw’s choice of RIW Toughseal – another product allegedly untested in such conditions. Before its ejection from the project Mowlem claimed it had warned Banes that RIW was unsuitable for use in the steam room and recommended the tried-and-tested Aquafin membrane. This recommendation was allegedly rejected by Banes.

Nobody on the project team was willing to take responsibility for the decision to use Kemperol, or address concerns when approached by CJ.

Kemper refused to comment and directed CJ to Grimshaw. It said that all questions should be referred to Banes.

A Banes spokeswoman confirmed that Kemperol would be used as “part of the solution” to the waterproofing.