&8226; Underground systems replace traditional above-ground options
BROOKFIELD, CT, Nov. 29, 2007 -- According to Georgia officials, between 1995 and 2025, the state's population is projected to grow approximately 20 percent reaching almost 2.7 million. As a result, the state has implemented a Greenspace Program that will help offset the damaging effects of this dramatic growth including how to manage stormwater run-off and protect water resources. In planning for a residential development in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, engineers selected a CULTEC stormwater management system to meet green space requirements, satisfy land constraints and replace outdated methods.
Similar to commercial building, residential development requires that special attention is paid to the management of stormwater run-off created by the vast amounts of impervious surfaces such as roofs, cul-de-sacs and driveways. Originally, the Pulte Homes' townhome community -- "Overlook at Lenox Views" -- was designed to include a deep pond with retaining walls in which stormwater run-off could be contained.
This option was not possible due to the Greenspace Program requirements which encourage urban and rapidly growing counties to set aside 20 percent of their land as protected green space -- land that can be used for informal recreation or natural resource protection. This meant the land required for the planned detention pond would have to be reclaimed and used for environmentally-friendly purposes.
"When we learned about the green space regulations it was right back to the drawing board. Any above-ground option, such as a detention pond, was not feasible due to the amount of land it would occupy," said Ted McCarter, Southeast Regional Sales Manager of CULTEC Inc. "By placing the system underground, the site can effectively and efficiently manage stormwater, while the land above can serve as a play area or garden and fulfill the state's green space needs."
With the help of CULTEC experts, engineers from Travis Pruitt Associates Inc. designed a three-tiered underground stormwater detention system that would capture, treat, and temporarily store run-off until its subsequent release to a storm-drain, wetland or other off-site area. The system consists of 604 chambers constructed of high-density polyethylene and is designed to maintain a significant amount water. Such multi-level systems require deeper excavation but are ideal solutions in projects with land constraints.
CULTEC Inc., headquartered in Brookfield, Connecticut, is a national manufacturer of plastic chambers used in subsurface retention/detention stormwater management systems and septic applications.
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