The Stormwater Blog 

By now, you’ve probably heard of triple bottom line accounting, a full cost accounting approach considering the economic, environmental and social impacts of a decision or more poetically, the three P’s: people, planet and profit. In the stormwater infrastructure planning world, as in many other urban planning arenas, this approach is gaining popularity.

The intent of LEED Sustainable Sites Credit 6.2 is “to limit disruption and pollution of natural water flows by managing stormwater runoff,” and the requirements necessary for meeting this intent are clearly spelled out: capture 90% of the average annual rainfall and treat it by removing 80% of the total suspended solids (TSS). While the rating system does not define TSS it does recommend reliance on field monitoring data that is compliant with the Technology Acceptance Reciprocity Partnership (TARP) protocol or the Technology Acceptance Protocol-Ecology (TAPE) when screening stormwater best management practices (BMPs). Seemingly straightforward, but...

As an industry, we’ve acquired a vast amount of knowledge about stormwater, its adverse impacts and the best management practices (BMPs) implemented to mitigate them. However, the spirited debate with regard to whether the field or the laboratory is the best arena for evaluating BMP performance refuses to yield to consensus. Here are some of the arguments for and against laboratory testing...

VIDEO POST
This patented technology is employed by the Stormwater Management StormFilter in order to prevent surface blinding, ensure use of all media, and prolong cartridge life. In principal, the system siphons stormwater runoff through its cartridge.

During the past few years, a number of different filter media have been used for stormwater filtration. Media such as sand, peat, and compost have been used successfully. Recent uses of perlite, zeolite, carbon, and other “exotic” media have expanded the choices for targeting specific pollutants. Here are some questions you should ask when selecting the right media for your application...

The primary credit applicable for the Stormwater Management StormFilter^® is Credit 6.2, Stormwater Design - Quality Control, under the Sustainable Sites category. There is one credit point allowable under this category for qualifying BMPs.

There are many aspects of stormwater filtration. Here, we discuss media surface area, surface vs. bed filtration, media hydraulic conductivity and flow control, performance data and longevity.  And how it can help you choose the right stormwater filter system.

VIDEO POST
In this video, Vaikko Allen, Regional Regulatory Manager for CONTECH, explains Lane’s Diagram, illustrating the balance between the erosion of the soil and the flow rate of a body of water.

VIDEO POST
In this video, Vaikko Allen, Regional Regulatory Manager for CONTECH, explains three approaches to stormwater treatment.

VIDEO POST
This short video explains how rainwater harvesting is a logical and feasible approach to managing stormwater runoff using example usage for a typical commercial office building.