Development and investigation of a pollution control pit for treatment of stormwater from metal roofs and traffic areas

Abstract

Source control by on-site retention and infiltration of stormwater is a sustainable and proven alternative to classical drainage methods. Unfortunately sedimentary particles and pollutants from drained surfaces cause clogging and endanger soil and groundwater during long-term operation of infiltration devices. German water authorities recommend the use of infiltration devices such as swales or swale-trench-systems. Direct infiltration by underground facilities such as pipes, trenches or sinks without pre-treatment of runoff is generally not permitted. Problems occur with runoff from metal roofs, traffic areas and industrial sites. However, due to site limitations, underground systems are often the only feasible option. To overcome this situation, a pollution control pit was developed with a hydrodynamic separator and a multistage filter made of coated porous concrete. The system treats runoff at source and protects soil, groundwater and receiving waterways. Typically, more than 90 % of the pollutants such as sedimentary particles, hydrocarbons and heavy metals can be removed. Filters have been developed to treat even higher polluted stormwater loads from metal roofs and industrial sites. The treatment process is based on sedimentation, filtration, adsorption and chemical precipitation. Sediments are trapped in a special chamber within the pit and can be removed easily. Other pollutants are captured in the concrete filter upstream of the sediment separator chamber. Filters can be easily replaced.

Evaluation of Biochar as a Potential Filter Media for the Removal of Mixed Contaminants from Urban Storm Water Runoff

“…After three pore volumes of ISSW2 flushing, the biochar showed a removal efficiency of approximately 20%, which (while relatively low) is still more significant than the negligible effect achieved by a normal infiltration basin (Birch et al 2005;Walker and Hurl 2002). These results indicated that there is electrostatic attraction of Cr(VI) to the positively charged biochar surface (Dong et al 2011). Effluent chromium concentrations after the final washing with deionized water were less than 0.67 mg=L.…”

Groundwater Contamination Potential from Infiltration of Urban Stormwater Runoff

“…Research is ongoing at field installations and laboratories both in the U.S. and in other countries. Active researchers in the water-quality impacts of, and controlling factors for, infiltration through both engineered and natural soils include several researchers in Florida, Villanova University, the University of New Hampshire, North Carolina State University, the University of Maryland, the U.S. EPA Urban Watershed Management Branch (investigations in both New Jersey and Kansas City, Missouri), France, Germany, Norway, Australia, and Switzerland (Davis, 2008;Dechesne et al, 2005;Dechesne et al, 2001;Dierkes et al, 2006;Emerson et al, 2008;Ferguson, 1990;Fischer et al, 2003;Guo et al, 2006;Hathhorn and Yonge, 2005;Hatt et al, 2007;Hatt et al, 2008;Hsieh and Davis et al, 2007a,b;Hunt et al, 2008;Jayasuriya et al, 2007;Kumar et al, 2006;Kwiatkowski et al, 2007;Li and Davis, 2008a, b;Lucas and Greenway, 2008;Marcos et al, 2002;McKenzie and Irwin, 1988;Mikkelsen et al, 1997;Muthanna et al, 2007a,b;Nogaro et al, 2007;Osenbruck et al, 2007;Sample and Heaney, 2006;Sansalone and Glenn, 2007;SRF Consulting Group, 2004;Sun and Davis, 2007;Thomas, 2000;Van Cuyk and Siegrist, 2007;Warnaars et al, 1999;Welker et al, 2006;Zhang and Ross, 2007;Zheng et al, 2006;Zomorodi, 2006).…”

Heavy metals and sulfate removal from water by means of Al powder-cement-based filtration

“…In the case of cement-based samples which absorb large amounts of water in the dry-state, the analyses were conducted for moist material. The preparation of filter samples consisted of placing them in a cell with water for 5 min and subsequent removing the excess water with a vacuum pump set at a pressure of 6.864×10 4 Pa. The process of the removal of water from the filters (gravitational water from pores) lasted 15 min.…”

“…Keeping in mind that there are many works confirming the observation regarding the high concentrations of metals dissolved in water [3,4,2] and taking into account the current dense development, increasing traffic and air pollution, one should consider whether rainwater sewage should not be subject to broader legal regulations. In line with the Ordinance of the Minister of Environment dated November 18th, 2014 [5], the requirements regarding rainwater and snowmelt sewage drained by sewage systems and originating mostly from impenetrable surfaces only provide for the allowable content of total suspended solids (100 mg/dm 3 ) and petroleum hydrocarbons (15 mg/dm 3 ) in wastewater introduced to water bodies or soil.…”