This effect is similar to wringing out a wet sponge, enabling the structure to remain stable, absorb higher levels of rainfall, and avoid runoff.  The system can even dry out the structure allowing for greater absorption of water as a result of prolonged or torrential rain/storms. This essentially reverses the negative effect of climate change (increased rainfall patterns) and rising water tables and returns the operating environment of the structures back to their original profiles.

Conversely, in dry conditions the system works in reverse and pulls the water table up to maintain the desired level of moisture and eradicate desiccation; another effect which causes detriment to earthwork structures. In addition to the automatic proactive controlling mechanism, the system can also be remotely monitored to provide a continuous available state and demonstrate time lapse changes, for example, this allows engineers to remotely monitor and set desired levels, such as ‘drying out’ the structure before an impending storm. The WET system will use this feedback to further adjust electric current flow which in turn will control the water content/pore pressure to safe/desired levels. 

This innovative application provides the opportunity to restore equilibrium to earth structures and therefore deliver a step change to managing infrastructure assets ensuring safe operations and reduced costs associated with failures. By integrating WET with standard earthwork monitoring techniques, an active management solution can be deployed and operated for decades rather than just years.