Erosion and Sediment Control

Overview

Construction sites often have large exposed surfaces that easily erode when exposed to wind and/or water.  Once sediment has been dislodged it becomes suspended in the runoff from these sites carrying and depositing pollutant loads into storm conveyance infrastructure and receiving water bodies.

After a rainfall event, there are traditionally two ways that water is reintroduced to the natural water cycle.  Firstly, the rainwater may enter a storm sewer that eventually connects to a nearby waterway.  This means that any pollutants present on roadways or in landscaped areas eventually arrive untreated at waterways.  Flows generated after large storm events additionally possess the ability to overload the natural drainage system leading to bank erosion and flooding.  Secondly, some municipalities have systems that combine both storm and sanitary sewers.  This storm and sewage mixture is piped to a wastewater treatment facility before arriving at a waterway.  During large storm events these combined systems can overflow resulting in the mixture entering local waterways, untreated.

Pressure has been put on municipalities to upgrade existing stormwater infrastructure in order to accommodate the increasing demands of expanding cities.  If stormwater can be successfully managed onsite, the overflow and untreated runoff entering our waterways through conventional methods of treatment can be mitigated.  Treating stormwater onsite allows the demands of municipalities to be met without overburdening or expanding existing stormwater infrastructure.

Emco is proud to offer various environmental protection products engineered to reduce the negative impacts of large flows and sediment loads generated by storm events.

Flocculant

ChitoVan™ by Dungeness Environmental is a powerful floccultant/coagulant that has the natural ability to bind contaminant particles together allowing them to become large enough to be filtered or gravity settled. ChitoVan™ chitosan is extremely effective at removing very fine suspended sediment (including silts and clay) and oils and grease. Many heavy metals may also be removed through its chelating abilities.

Download Brochure – Treatment Kit in a bag

Vortex Flow Control

HydroVex by John Meunier is a simple, cost-effective means of controlling excessive water runoff at the source, the manhole.  This static flow controller discharges 4 – 6 times less stormwater than an orifice plate with the same effective opening.  The design reduces the chance of blockage from sediment and debris found in stormwater flows.

Download Brochure – HydroVex VHV/SVHV

Silt Fence

Silt fence is a temporary perimeter control used around sites where construction activities are expected to disturb soils.   It is installed to intercept and drain dislodged sediment preventing the offsite transportation of sediment-laden runoff.

Catch Basin Filters

Silt sacs are temporary inlet protection products manufactured to hang beneath storm grates.  They are designed to prevent sediment-laden water from entering storm conveyance infrastructure prior to site stabilization. 

Contacts