Civil engineers face a level of complexity and expectation that continues to rise year after year. Beyond mastery of core engineering principles, today’s professionals must navigate advanced digital design platforms, manage accelerated project timelines, interpret evolving regulatory frameworks, and coordinate seamlessly across multidisciplinary teams. At the same time, they are expected to deliver solutions that balance performance, constructability, sustainability, and cost—often amid tighter budgets and heightened public scrutiny.

As America’s infrastructure expands, the demand for reliable sewer systems is growing rapidly—industry forecasts suggest over 700 million linear feet of sewer pipe installations by 2026. For larger-diameter systems (say 30 inches and up), ensuring the integrity of pipe joints becomes both more important and more challenging.

This article explains why underground detention systems need pretreatment to stay effective over time, and how hydrodynamic separators protect storage volume by removing sediment, trash, and floatables before they enter the system. It highlights how proper HDS sizing can extend maintenance intervals, reduce cleaning costs, and preserve hydraulic performance, making pretreatment one of the most cost-effective ways to protect underground stormwater infrastructure.

As land prices rise and project footprints shrink, developers and engineers are forced to rethink traditional stormwater management. Gone are the days when an open detention basin in the back corner of the site was the default. The trend is shifting underground, and for good reason. Corrugated metal pipe (CMP) detention and infiltration systems provide a solution that helps maximize usable land, comply with regulations, and reduce long-term maintenance costs.