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The ingenious new invention that could be the perfect flood-defence option for Spain: Why StormBags might be your new best friend
StormBags are lightweight, re-usable water-activated bags ideal for sudden storms, with the potential to save lives
In recent years, Spain has seen an increase in sudden downpours and flash-flood events, including severe flooding around Valencia in 2024 that took over 200 lives, making rapid flood-defence solutions more important than ever.
That’s where a new product known as the StormBag Sandless Sandbag comes in, an ingenious alternative to traditional heavy sandbags that can be quickly deployed and reused.
StormBags are getting a lot of attention recently for their ability to quickly save homes and potentially even lives in flood situations, and they’re now available in Spain.
What is a StormBag?
StormBags are ultra-lightweight flood-defence bags produced in the USA (by StormBag/Swiss‑Link/StormTec) and distributed internationally.When dry a single bag weighs around 0.45kg and when exposed to fresh water it expands within 3-5 minutes to form a barrier weighing up to 13.6-15.8kg, the same as a standard sandbag. Once filled up, it has the same effect as a sandbag, and is able to stop the advance of both salt water and fresh water.
The original idea behind the creation of the StormBag was simple: to remove the need to haul, fill and stack heavy sandbags. The bag is transported dry and only activated with water when needed.
Cregan Boyd, supplier for StormBag Ireland in the EU, said, “It is environmentally friendly as there is no additional material required – only fresh water. After use, the bag dries, shrinks and can be reused again up to five times!”
For additional environmental gains, he points out, when emptying the bag you can release the water directly onto the plants in your garden to give them a good, sustainable watering!
Why StormBags are gaining attention in Spain
Spain’s Mediterranean climate and geography mean it is vulnerable to sudden heavy rainfall and flash-flooding, especially in inland zones, mountainous terrain and in coastal towns where drainage can be overwhelmed.
Cregan, who has experience as a crash barrier designer for Formula 1 and Moto GP, recognises just how useful StormBags can be for saving lives in emergency situations.“I was a convert as soon as I saw a video about it online,” he says. “I knew, with my professional experience in crash barrier technology and life-saving situations, that this was something I had to be involved in.”
He continues, “I’ve approached local councils in Murcia, Valencia and across Spain to offer StormBags as part of their standard flood-defence kit,” noting that for orders on a large scale, discounts are available.
The thing is, for people living in Spain or who have second homes here, or for travellers who may arrive in low-lying or flood-prone areas, a compact flood-defence kit offers peace of mind.
Using traditional sandbags can be a major logistical burden: you need sand supplies, storage space, manpower and you often need to deploy immediately.
With a product like the StormBag you can store a few bags in dry form, taking up minimal space, and have them ready for activation at short notice.
“You could store them in a box in your garage and they wouldn’t take up any space at all,” says Cregan, adding, “It would also make a great tool in the arsenal of any private resort management or security teams, to help protect their communities and urbanisations from flash flooding.”
Where to buy StormBags for use in Spain
If you are based in Spain or own a holiday home here, it is possible to purchase a StormBag for just €8.50 per bag. When you take into account that they can be reused up to five times, it’s undeniably a great investment.But ideally they need to be bought in bulk. If you can club together with neighbours and local community organisations to purchase a large number of StormBags as a group, not only would it be more cost-effective overall, but it would ensure flood protection for your entire neighbourhood, not just your own home.
And at the end of the day, that’s what this is all about – protecting lives and livelihoods in the face of an increasingly unpredictable weather and flooding landscape.
As Cregan notes, “This could be a game changer for so many people in flood-prone areas, and it’s such a simple thing to do, anyone can do it.”
If you’re interested in getting some StormBags for yourself or your organisation, all you have to do is contact Cregan Boyd by email at info@stormbagireland.com and he would be only to happy to get back to you by phone or by email to discuss the project he is so passionate about: saving lives and making a difference.
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