N.J. OKs Use of Stormwater Filtration Device
Hydro International, a provider of products and solutions that control and treat stormwater, wastewater and combined sewer overflow, on Dec. 16 announced that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)approved the use of its Up-Flo® Filter, an advanced stormwater filtration device, in stormwater treatment projects in the state.
DEP approved the use of the filter following verification by the New Jersey Corporation for Advanced Technology (NJCAT) of the filter’s performance capabilities in a series of tests. While the performance verification by public-private partnership NJCAT indirectly allowed the Up-Flo Filter to be used in several other states, New Jersey regulators required a second review before the product could be used in its projects. For development and redevelopment construction projects in New Jersey, the filter will now be used on inflow drainage areas of up to 1.8 acres for a 6-module configuration. This represents a maximum drainage area of 0.3 acres per filter module. The 6-module configuration fits into a standard 4-foot concrete manhole.
“With today’s approval, Hydro International and the Up-Flo Filter cross a major milestone,” said Larry Abatiell, National Sales manager of the company's U.S. stormwater business. “It is widely known that New Jersey’s testing procedures and approval processes for stormwater treatment devices are among the most stringent in the nation. We are looking forward to providing the state of New Jersey with high-quality treatment solutions that do the job at an affordable price.”
The Up-Flo Filter is a high-rate stormwater filtration technology that removes trash, sediments, nutrients, metals and hydrocarbons from stormwater runoff. As the industry’s only fluidized bed upflow filtration technology, the device provides a higher level of treatment, a higher rate of filtration, longer life of filter media and a longer maintenance cycle than other filter systems.
This approval follows the filter’s Pilot Use Level Designation in early 2008 by the Washington Department of Ecology, also known for its rigorous performance verification standards.
In November 2008, NJCAT verified that the Up-Flo Filter removes more than 80 percent total suspended solids using Hydro-Filter-Sand™ (HFS) media. Laboratory test protocols and equipment were designed to mimic real field installations by using the full-scale commercially available Up-Flo Filter having one to six filter modules housed in a 4-foot-diameter manhole. The testing demonstrated the filter performance based on multiple filter modules operating at peak infiltration rates.
NJCAT works closely with The Technology Acceptance and Reciprocity Partnership (TARP), formed by eight states to evaluate and share scientific data on technology performance of environmental protection solutions. By sharing data and standardizing testing methods, TARP aims to help agencies streamline approval processes and contractors make informed purchasing decisions. TARP member states are California, Massachusetts, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Jersey. Other regions such as the metropolitan areas of Atlanta and Nashville also look to TARP guidelines for guidance on new stormwater management technologies.