Conservation district holds stormwater training workshops
The Sussex Conservation District recently held two training workshops for stormwater industry professionals.
The workshops introduced polymer flocculation, chemical treatments for reducing stormwater turbidity. Flocculants, including polyacrylamide and chitosan, are commonly used in stormwater applications to remove nutrients and suspended solids to meet water-quality goals. When used at the recommended rates, chitosan flocculant and anionic PAMs are considered safe for humans and aquatic life.
"These workshops provide practical education for agency staff, designers and industry professionals across the state,” said Jessica Watson, SCD sediment and stormwater program manager. “We faced numerous challenges this past winter and want to be sure that everyone, regardless of their role, has the best available technology and tools to use in the field.”
At the May 2 workshop, Brian Free, director of business development and sales at Applied Polymer Systems, introduced APS flocculants, gave an overview of passive stormwater treatment, and reviewed five fundamentals for effective flocculation. Following the presentation, agency staff gathered for hands-on field demonstrations to test flocculant formulation, dosage, mixing and reaction time.
The June 5 workshop included presentations from Rain for Rent and Dober. Robert Hastings, an RFR sales representative, provided an overview of treatment systems and considerations for removing contaminates from stormwater including flow rate, settling time, reaction time and micron size. Steve Kuprat, RFR regional technical specialist, reviewed filtration systems and the importance of tailgate testing to achieve desired results. Dober research and development chemist Angie Espy expounded on coagulants, flocculants and the HaloKlear chitosan-based product line.
“It’s important that my job is done right,” said Craig Mills, SCD stormwater inspector. “Working in the construction industry is tough, but it was great to see my peers gaining knowledge to keep them ahead of the curve while protecting the environment.”
For more information, go to sussexconservation.org and de.gov/sedimentandstormwater.
