Washington LID decision pushes stormwater management to new level

Sept. 16, 2009
BRIGHTON, MI, Sept. 16, 2009 -- A recent decision in a Washington state lawsuit ruling that makes low-impact development (LID) mandatory in order to obtain phase 1 permit planning will now push new stormwater practices into development...

• Triton Stormwater Solutions provides answer with innovative main header row

BRIGHTON, MI, Sept. 16, 2009 -- A recent decision in a Washington state lawsuit ruling that makes low-impact development (LID) mandatory in order to obtain phase 1 permit planning will now push new stormwater practices into development. This requirement mandating LID through a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System is the first of its kind, and other states may soon follow.

"Stormwater run-off is a major problem affecting the water quality of streams, rivers and lakes," explains Joe Miskovich, president, Triton Stormwater Solutions, in Brighton, Mich. "When rain naturally falls, it is absorbed into the ground and moves through multiple soil layers which filter out impurities before it is deposited into the water table. But if it falls on an impervious surface such as a roof, pavement or other structure, the stormwater puddles into low lying areas or rapidly runs off, bloating streams and carrying sediment and pollutants into these other environments."

He explains that in order to meet LID regulation, there is a need for products that allow developers to maintain natural hydrology and not negatively impact the environment around their site. With systems such as Triton, potentially harmful run-off can be collected and stored underground, protecting the environment without the wasted space, cost and liability of a traditional retention pond and leaving natural green space.

"In addition, Triton's system acts as a filtration system through its innovative Main Header Row, which controls and disperses pollutants and toxins," says Miskovich. "Because of its strength and capacity, the Triton system is scalable to any project and the chambers can be installed in a stacked configuration to reduce its footprint, making it more cost effective than miles of costly pipe."

Triton's trash removal system -- which can be easily vacuumed out-- followed by a header row for fine filtration and a massive storage and gravel matrix with controlled discharge, is an important asset for protecting water quality, explains Bill Wilson, an associate in environmental engineering at Carlile Macy, who did the master plan for Salishan, a successful urban redevelopment project in Tacoma, one of the first large scale LID projects in Washington.

"This is a tremendous way to do both water quality and flow balancing, and can also affect water conservation by doubling as a cistern system for landscape irrigation." Wilson recently used Triton's system at the LEED Platinum Sunset Idea House in Monterey, Calif., placing 24,000 gallons of Triton capture/storage beneath the residential motor court for reuse in the xeriscaped landscape.

How Triton works
Water enters the Triton system through a standard collection point and, if the infiltration rate is not adequate to meet the site requirement, pollution controlling pre treatment options can be designed into the system for added filtration. This allows pollutants such as hydrocarbons to be captured. Pre-treatment best management practices can be as simple as a deep sump catch basins and oil-water separators or as extensive as stormwater treatment devices.

Water gathers in a catch basin until it reaches a sufficient level to enter the Main Header Row, where remaining sediments collect on a floor specially designed for easy cleaning. Through this settling and controlled distribution process, a major portion of sediments carried by the stormwater is captured before the water is dispersed in open bottom distribution chambers. This makes the Triton system easier and less expensive to maintain.

"Essentially, the Triton product does the same thing as the soil," says Miskovich. "It filters the pollutants in the water and delivers cleaner water back into the soil."

Built with green technology soy resin, the chambers are completely modular to allow maximum flexibility in design and application. In addition, using a Triton system can earn up to 18 LEED credits and meet Zero Discharge goals. Triton is also registered as a federally approved green carbon neutral product and approved for use in all government owned or leased buildings and properties.

Key Points:

• Replicates pre-development hydrology.
• Achieves higher pollutant removal rates through soil filtration and accelerated microbial actions (bio-remediation). In soils that do not perk well, the benefits of microbial actions still occur.
• Helps counter drought conditions by maintaining ground base flow to streams.
• Eliminates thermal discharge loadings.
• Provides a lower cost alternative to drainage pipes for conveyance, with added benefits of groundwater recharge and water quality enhancement.
• Eliminates the need for costly pre-treatment devices.
• Eco-friendly soy-oil based and carbon-neutral product.
• Eliminates need for restrictive holding ponds and creates new opportunities for green space with unique underground capacity.
• Achieves up to 18 LEED credits and Zero Discharge goals.

To see the Triton system at work and how it can help you accomplish your LID goals, visit: http://www.tritonsws.com/low-impact-development.

About Triton Stormwater Solutions
Established in 2007 and headquartered in Brighton, Mich., Triton Stormwater Solutions manufactures the next generation of stormwater chamber management systems. In virtually every metric that matters to developers, municipal planners and engineers, Triton's stormwater chambers offer greater advantages and design flexibility over traditional systems. Triton's proprietary design and patented construction offers larger-capacity, lighter-weight, easier-to-install stormwater chambers that are more than 50 percent stronger than traditional products. Triton is also environmentally friendly, manufacturing materials from the same soy-based resin that has been in use for more than 50 years in the heavy equipment and automotive industries. For more information, please visit www.tritonsws.com.

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