Imbrium Systems Questions whether "Minimal Washout" is simply a Bad April Fools Joke

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Apr 05, 2011, 10:15 ET

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, April 5 /PRNewswire/ - Imbrium Systems announced today that the regulatory and market response in the first quarter of 2011 from civil engineers and stormwater regulators on the East Coast to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection On-Line approval for Stormceptor^® STC has been overwhelmingly positive. Stormceptor^® STC, a premier brand of oil and sediment separator (hydrodynamic separator also referred to as a OGS) for stormwater treatment and spill capture, was approved by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) in September 2010 for use as an On-Line stormwater treatment device. To this date, Stormceptor is the only hydrodynamic separator to receive this unique designation.

'Through training, experience and a strict code of ethics, civil engineers understand that hydrodynamic separators which re-suspend, scour or washout captured pollutants during intense rainstorms provide absolutely no protection for our water resources and the environment", commented Justin Arnott, Imbrium Systems' Stormceptor Product Manager. "That's why I was very surprised to learn that some manufactured treatment devices claim "minimal washout" as an unverified yet significant claim. When I first read this, I thought it was a bad April Fools joke. But upon reflection, I believe "minimal washout" is like being a "little pregnant", added Arnott

"Civil engineers or Environmental Regulators who care about the environment should avoid hydrodynamic units that provide little or no re-suspension protection during intense storms. For example, if a vacuum cleaner dumped even a portion of the bin back on the carpet it wouldn't sell very well. Yet OGS units are specified every day that allow the release of the pollutants they're meant to capture. Stormwater specifiers shouldn't get hoodwinked by unverified claims or half truths. Legitimate testing based on sound science and verification of a manufacturers' statements count for a great deal", continued Justin Arnott, the Stormceptor Product Manager. "It's important that specifiers investigate the hype behind the claims. For example, how many pounds of pollutants get scoured each year during "minimal washout"? Before selecting a treatment device, rigorous re-suspension test data looking at particles less than 5-microns should be factored into any site near an impaired waterbody", stated Arnott.

Many States and jurisdictions across North America have been relying on New Jersey DEP's stormwater technology verification and certification process (Technology Acceptance and Reciprocity Partnership or TARP), but may be unaware of this Off-Line requirement. Several years ago, NJDEP reviewed its test standards and discovered pollutant washout during medium and intense storms - "scour" - was a major issue with most hydrodynamic separators. As a result, NJDEP quickly modified their stormwater device design requirements in early 2008 to address this alarming environmental concern. The outcome was NJDEP mandated all stormwater manufactured treatment devices were only approved as Off-Line water quality devices unless the Department received new test data to a more stringent standard verifying a device would not washout silt-sized pollutants during intense, high-flow rain events.

The new NJDEP testing and verification process has been a welcomed improvement and Stormceptor STC is the first and only water quality treatment technology to date that has achieved On-Line approval. Stormceptor STC is a proven high-performance stormwater treatment technology that developers can implement to save on construction costs when stormwater treatment devices are used in an On-Line configuration. An On-Line water quality device allows the passing of storms greater than the NJDEP water quality design storm through the device, without the added cost of additional stormwater sewer infrastructure and installation time.

"The Stormceptor STC On-Line approval demonstrates an innovative stormwater and spill capture technology tested to standards that validate superior performance. With the environment at stake, shortcuts should not be allowed. The New Jersey DEP certification letter means that land developers can have complete confidence in Stormceptor's performance while saving precious land space as well as construction dollars in this tough economy', concluded Justin Arnott.

About Imbrium

Imbrium (www.imbriumsystems.com) is a green-tech company that designs, develops and manufactures stormwater treatment technologies to protect water resources from pollutants. Imbrium has a strong record of environmental innovation in the industry as the creator of the Stormceptor® oil and sediment separator, the Jellyfish filter, Sorbtive™MEDIA and Sorbtive™FILTER.

SOURCE Imbrium