Why Ongoing Storm System Maintenance is a Community Priority
Stormwater management systems play a large part in mitigating and managing excess storm water from valued areas and are vital to our infrastructure. The eastern United States can see upwards of 40 to 60 inches of rain in a single year on average. You may not think about where this water flows after a storm (outside of an increase in standing water during a heavy rainfall), but it’s important to note where all of the water ends up. Stormwater can be defined as water flowing from streets, yards, and homes after a storm, but it also runs off from farms, construction sites, and through streets and parking lots. Stormwater has an effect on everyone in a community, showcasing the interconnectedness of our world.
All of this water adds up, leading to large amounts of water needing to be managed and transported through sewer pipes, ditches and catch basins. Without proper stormwater management, you may experience a variety of issues. Erosion from excess water can chip away at the earth, damaging infrastructure and the ground in the process. Pollutants are a dangerous factor, as chemicals, debris and other substances can be hazardous to our health and the environment if not filtered properly through the correct channels. It’s estimated that over 40% of water pollution is a result of runoff from farming and industrial sites. Standing water can also become a flooding issue, damaging homes and yards and creating potentially dangerous road conditions. By utilizing the best stormwater practices, we can prevent a number of issues from arising before they occur.
First, planning ahead is always the best option. Understanding the existing stormwater system and acknowledging the issues with the current systems in place for management is always an important step in making changes. Inspecting pipe systems for defects and surface features is important in this process. If damages or blockages are an issue in proper stormwater flow, a video pipe inspection crawler will be able to pinpoint the exact location of the issue. Storm sewers also need to be cleaned. By blasting pressurized water through a pipe through the hydro jetting method, we can clear out any blockages or debris that would prevent the proper flow of stormwater. This method also mitigates potential damages to other utilities potentially intersecting with the pipe through a cross bore. It’s recommended that stormwater sewers are cleaned regularly to prevent any buildup.
Storm sewer pipes also face potential deterioration over time due to repeated use. Sometimes they need to be replaced or repaired. In the case of repairs, performing a point repair on a pipe can help fix damages caused in individual sections of pipe without full replacement. For larger pipe solutions, pipe lining is an option that allows for the rehabilitation of an entire run of pipe. This liner is cured using a UV light system or through resin curing. This avoids digging up an entire section of pipe for replacement and can be a cost-effective trenchless solution.
If you are looking for solutions to your stormwater issues, our team at Trinity Subsurface is able to help solve them. We offer a number of pipe repair and lining solutions for various sizes of pipes, video pipe inspections of pipe systems, and hydro jetting to clean out pipes. Visit our website to find out more about pipe services or call us to get scheduled for service today.
