Reno, NV (June 29, 2020) – Jensen Precast today announced that its new StormVault Biofiltration System with engineered Sierra Blend bio soil media has been tested and verified by the New Jersey Corporation for Advanced Technology (NJCAT) as a Stormwater Manufactured Treatment Device for Green Infrastructure. The verification was certified by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The independent two-step NJCAT/NJDEP approval process is a nationally recognized performance validation program for stormwater devices.
Test results showed the new StormVault Biofiltration System with engineered Sierra Blend offers the highest infiltration rates among leading industry solutions. “At 191 inches per hour per square foot, our Sierra Blend bio soil media offers the highest infiltration rate currently available,” said Walter Stein, PE, Jensen Precast Stormwater Systems Manager. “For engineers, contractors, and developers seeking a higher infiltration rate, smaller footprint, and low impact development best management practice, our new biofiltration system is the best for sustainable green infrastructure management.”
Jensen Precast is one of the largest independently owned precast concrete companies in the United States, with branches in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Oregon. Approval of its new biofiltration product paves the way for the company to offer its municipal and commercial customers another high performing stormwater treatment option alongside the popular Jensen Deflective Separator and StormVault Detention Reservoir.
“Our StormVault Biofiltration System efficiently removes total suspended solids, metals, nutrients, oil, and grease from stormwater runoff to meet water quality standards,” Stein said. “Deployed with the specially engineered Sierra Blend bio soil media, the system can treat higher flows than conventional bioretention units, allowing for a smaller footprint and lower overall costs.”
Twenty-eight removal efficiency testing runs were completed in accordance with the NJDEP test protocol. Thirteen of the 28 test runs were conducted during mass loading and 15 during removal efficiency testing. The target flow rate and influent sediment concentration were 32 gallons per minute (gpm) and 200 milligrams per liter (increased to 400 mg/L after Run 15) respectively. The cumulative mass removal efficiency exceeded 90% after the first run. The total influent mass loaded through Run 28 was 193.4 pounds and the total mass captured by the StormVault Biofiltration System was 176.7 pounds. The cumulative mass removal efficiency for the 28 runs was 91.3%. This is equivalent to a sediment mass loading capacity of 11.0 pounds per square foot of filter surface area.
NJCAT Executive Director Richard S. Magee, ScD, PE, BCEE, remarked: “Based on my review, evaluation, and assessment of the testing conducted on the Jensen Stormwater Systems StormVault Biofiltration under the direct supervision of Professor Keith Dennett, PhD, and Professor Mark Hausner, PhD, the test protocol requirements contained in the NJDEP Laboratory Protocol to Assess Total Suspended Solids Removal by a Filtration Manufactured Treatment Device were met or exceeded.”
The StormVault Biofiltration System is a nonmechanical, self-operating unit that will function anytime there is flow within the drainage system. The bridging stone, Sierra Blend bio soil media, and plant stabilization media are arranged in layers within the chamber, with stormwater flowing downward through these layers. The plant stabilization media layer consists of hardwood mulch and/or large riprap, and serves as pretreatment, removing the trash, debris, and large sediment while increasing moisture retention and protecting the engineered media from erosion. The Sierra Blend further treats the stormwater, removing fine sediment, heavy metals, and nutrients. The bridging stone or gravel base allows the media bed to drain evenly and to either enter an underdrain pipe or infiltrate into the ground.
Learn more about the StormVault Biofiltration System at www.stormvault.com/biofiltration.
