By Robert Y.G. Andoh

Throughout the world, thousands of stormwater pollutant removal systems are being installed in an effort to prevent watercourses from being polluted. As supply has risen to meet demand, a variety of proprietary, chamber-based systems have emerged, including hydrodynamic separators, which are designed to settle out and store sediments and associated pollutants, preventing them from being discharged to the natural environment.

However, recent research suggests that some systems may not be as effective as might be claimed. Some systems are subject to “washout” or “scour,” whereby captured and stored pollutants are flushed from a system during extreme wet weather.