The Stormwater Blog

Infiltration systems can be an effective way to manage stormwater, reduce runoff, and support groundwater recharge. But like any stormwater BMP, they need to be protected if they are expected to perform over the long term. That is where pretreatment comes in. Pretreatment removes trash, sediment, debris, and other pollutants before runoff enters an infiltration system. This can help extend the life of the system, simplify maintenance, reduce long-term liability, and support local stormwater compliance requirements.

Stormwater BMP design usually starts with two basic questions: can the BMP treat the required flow or volume, and can it physically fit on the site? Those questions are important, but they are not enough as a BMP is not fully designed until someone can inspect it, clean it, and understand who is responsible for maintaining it. Maintenance should not be treated as a post-construction problem. It is a design decision.