What stormwater services does ProTech provide?
ProTech is an environmental solutions™ firm specializing in stormwater treatment. ProTech also provides a variety of other environmental services related to water quality issues; this FAQ focuses on stormwater and runoff treatment. Please refer to www.protechgcs.com for more information.

Why does stormwater require treatment?
When EPA water quality standards are exceeded. This commonly occurs when land is disturbed by construction activities. Other situations may generate water requiring treatment, as for example during excavations that encounter groundwater that must be pumped out. Dirty water resulting from suspended sediment is the driving parameter, although in some cases pH or nutrient levels, hydro carbons, and heavy metals may need to be considered.

What is NPDES?
NPDES is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program, established under the authority of the Clean Water Act. NPDES, or the local regulatory authority that operates under NPDES, establishes the regulations and permit requirements that govern stormwater discharges.

What are the potential penalties for NPDES violations?
Substantial. Potential fines vary depending on the regulatory authority— for example, California Regional Water Quality Control Boards may impose a fine of $10,000 per day and $10 per gallon for unintentional violations, and $25,000 per day and $25 per gallon for intentional or negligent violations. This equates to several million dollars per day for flows typical at many sites.

What are the first steps toward controlling stormwater?
Treatments begins in the dry months. Projects should first rely on available methods to reduce and control runoff— properly installed and maintained erosion control BMPs, staging of operations to minimize soil disturbance, etc. If discharge water still exceeds water quality standards, then filtration and treatment will be required.

What types of clients does ProTech work with?
ProTech works with construction companies, environmental firms, land developers, mining operations and farms— essentially anyone that requires filtration and treatment of dirty water, whether it is from stormwater runoff, excavation dewatering, or agriculture.

How is the volume of water to be treated estimated?
The volume and flow rate of water to be treated is calculated during project design and engineering—typically during the preparation of the project Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, or SWPPP..

Will settling and/or filtration take care of all water quality issues?
In some cases, yes, although if water contains sufficient fine silt or clay settling and/or simple filtration it will not be able to remove enough of the suspended material to meet water quality requirements.

When and why is polymer coagulation necessary for stormwater treatment?
If water contains even a small amount of fine suspended material, it may not be possible or practical to meet water quality standards. With the addition of polymer coagulation, the fine suspended material binds together, forming larger, heavier particles that readily settle out by gravity.

How does a polymer coagulation system work?
ProTech’s polymer coagulation system is based on a proprietary manditory and dosage control system. Polymer is injected into the stormwater upstream of the settling tank or holding basin. The polymer mixes and reacts with the suspended sediment, which then settles out by gravity.

How are water filtration and treatment requirements determined?
Typically water samples are characterized to determine water quality parameters such as pH and turbidity, and a series of tests are conducted to determine sediment settling rates and response to various filtration methods and chemical coagulation. The results give filtration and/or polymer coagulation requirements to meet water quality standards, including optimum polymer variety and dose.

Are polymer coagulants safe?
Yes, when dose is properly controlled. Although toxicity varies substantially between polymers, all polymer coagulants (and flocculants) are potentially toxic to aquatic life if overdosed. ProTech uses a proprietary, state-of-the-art monitoring and dosage control system that continuously measures polymer concentration and maintains it at the safe dose.