Protecting Storm Drain Catch Basins is Essential for Public Health

Storm drain catch basins are a vital component of overall systems used to eliminate storm water. Many people unknowingly contribute to water pollution when they use chemicals to treat their lawn or allow fluids from their vehicle to drip onto ground surfaces.

Most people don't pay much attention to the storm drain catch basins situated against sidewalks and roadways. However, these components provide access for storm water to be swept into subsurface pipelines that carry away water to a release point. This is usually a public waterway, but could also involve retention or detention ponds.

The biggest challenge of keeping waste products out of storm drain chambers is the fact they are open receptacles. Although basins are covered by steel grates, debris and environmental toxins are still able to enter the system.

Any type of toxic substances that are used on rooftops, roads, and lawns are picked up by rain water and carried into the system. Compounds that are often found in storm water are antifreeze, gasoline, motor oil, pesticides and fertilizers, and automobile cleansers.

Although municipal systems include oil and water separators, they don't make use of filters to catch small particles or toxins. Since the role of storm drains is to efficiently rid ground surfaces of accumulated water, adding a filtration system would reduce the efficiency.

One of the simplest ways to protect storm drains is to become aware of items that damage the environment. Motor oil has a severe impact on waterways, as do lawn care products and even animal waste. While changing your oil at home can save money, old oil must be disposed of at designated hazardous waste facilities.

It's important to note that waste facilities impose a nominal disposal fee. Unfortunately, this sometimes causes people to illegally dump toxins to avoid the fee. It should be noted that illegal dumping is an environmental crime that comes with hefty fines. It's much wiser and better for the environment to engage in legal disposal.   

Toxic contaminants often cause irreparable damage to everything in waterways. When water becomes so polluted that it kills off aquatic life the effects also impact humans. Everyone has the ability to lessen their carbon footprint by taking appropriate action for disposal and by selecting environmentally-friendly products.

Individuals should become informed about how to get rid of waste products in their community. Most cities offer locations where items can be disposed of properly. Some towns even provide services to pick-up toxic chemicals at residences and businesses.

Storm water drainage systems offer communities protection against street flooding. Each municipality is responsible for maintenance services to ensure systems operate at peak performance. Storm systems are cleaned monthly, while concrete catch basins and drains undergo cleaning at least two times each year

Storm drain catch basin need to be frequently monitored to ensure debris does not clog the entrance. Anything that obstructs the opening can reduce the effectiveness of the system and cause flooding to occur.

Due to the serious implications that can arise with improper installation or lack of regular maintenance, it is recommended to employ reputable storm drain contractors, such as Kana Pipeline, to ensure systems can perform at full capacity.

What's Involved with Storm Water Drain Construction?

There's been a lot of talk about storm water drain construction after Hurricane Issac pummeled the Gulf Coast last week. The unfortunate truth is when massive amounts of rainfall occur for hours on end it's impossible for drainage systems to keep up with the demand.

Unless there's a weather catastrophe, storm water drain construction doesn't get a lot of attention. However, the people who work in the industry provide us with a service that greatly reduces potential of flooding in our communities.  

Municipal storm drainage systems are comprised of multiple components that collectively gather and carry away storm water. Although based on simple principles of gravity, the way systems work is quite an engineering marvel.

Residential and city streets, along with interstate systems are designed to allow rain and melting snow to travel downhill. Water is pulled into street gutters and travels through catch basins and a network of underground pipes until it can be discharged into a body of water.

Even though these systems protect the public from flooding, the water they carry away ends up polluting larger bodies of water. Storm water runoff is loaded with toxins. Chemical substances that have been applied to roofs, lawns, driveways, parking lots, and streets wind up in nearby lakes and oceans.

With that in mind, the EPA monitors systems that discharge substances into American waters. Additionally, storm drain contractors are required by law to utilize construction materials and installation procedures which are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

A significant level of organization and hard labor goes into constructing municipal storm drainage systems. The process is multi-faceted and involves many people. Project owners work with design engineers to acquire construction blueprints. These plans are the life force of the project and need to account for every scenario long before laborers break ground.

These days, engineers have the luxury of being able to access subsurface utility engineering SUE methods. SUE technology provides detailed 3D maps of the construction site and shows exactly what lies beneath the surface.

Along with identifying any dangers lurking underground, SUE data is extremely helpful for determining water flow rates. This information lets engineers know pipe dimensions and provides an understanding of flow routes directed toward open bodies of water.  

Storm water drainage systems require multiple components in order to take water from one place and deposit it in another. Everything has to work in harmony or the system can fail and result in environmental catastrophe.

Since storm water drain construction is a highly complicated task it is strongly recommended to use reputable wet utility construction contractors such as Kana Pipeline. Look for seasoned contractors who comply with EPA regulations and are experienced in the kind project involved.