Library of Stormwater Decontamination, Containment, and Diversion Technologies

EPA’s Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP) within the Office of Research and Development conducts research to aid in the response and recovery from natural and man-made disasters. EPA is involved in stormwater lab, field, and modeling studies that test decontamination technologies and software tools. This website was created to provide several examples of the types of stormwater scenarios EPA homeland security researchers use in their simulations and to provide a non-exhaustive reference of technologies used for a response to stormwater contamination.

Contaminated stormwater can enter either sanitary/combined sewer systems or municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s). While the technologies discussed in this website to divert, seal, treat, contain, and remove contaminated runoff from these entry points are similar, the effects of contaminated stormwater entering these systems are quite different. Separate stormwater infrastructure will go directly to the closest receiving water. Contaminated sanitary/combined system impacts are much more complex when considering the recovery of a wastewater treatment plant or basement backups and are not considered in this website currently.

This website takes the approach that “a picture is worth a thousand words” and as such was primarily designed to aggregate pictures. This photographic library is intended to be used as a tool to spur discussion between researchers and stakeholders (e.g., academics, utilities, EPA On-Scene Coordinators/Emergency Planners) about technology gaps, nomenclature, and intervention options for field applications/modeling simulations, not as regulatory guidance. Actual response plan development should be done in coordination with local sanitation/water reclamation districts.

If you have technology pictures (that are not copyright protected) or response stories you would like to contribute to this website, please contact us.

Scenario 1:  Rural tanker truck chemical spill

An example of a chemical disaster that may require infrastructure decontamination, stormwater containment, and/or diversion technologies would be the spill of a chemical substance from a tanker truck. In this scenario, the most likely impacts would occur on separate stormwater infrastructure, roads, and aquatic habitat. Click on the numbers in the graphic to see pictures of the types of tools that may be used to respond to this type of disaster.

Scenario 2:  Wide-Area Bacillus anthracis Release

Bacillus anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax and a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Category A bioterrorism agent. If released in an urban area prone to flooding, heavy rain events may lead to the spread of contamination. For the outdoor metropolitan area below, the public and the response team may need to know: How much and where does the rain redistribute the B. anthracis? How far downstream did B. anthracis travel in the river? What are the consequences if B. anthracis enter a combined or separate sewer system and can they be used to contain the contamination? Click on the numbers in the metropolitan scene to see what technologies may be considered when trying to prevent the spread of B. anthracis contamination. Managing contaminated water is a difficult process where the risks to the workers and the capacity to treat in place must be carefully considered before proceeding.

Scenario 3:  Radiological Dispersal Device (AKA Dirty Bomb) Detonation in Suburban Parking Lot

The primary radionuclides of concern from the fallout of a dirty bomb are those with long half-lives such as ¹³⁷Cesium and ⁹⁰Strontium. Stormwater is considered a transport mechanism of radiological contamination. After the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster in 2011, stormwater runoff contained ¹³⁷Cesium and after the Chernobyl disaster contamination continued to produce contaminated runoff from streets for up to seven years (USEPA 2015). Click on the numbers in the scene below for examples of potential stormwater technologies that may be useful relative to the interaction of contaminated stormwater with infrastructure and aspects of radiological incident response and recovery. An evaluation of human health exposure risk is also important to help responders prioritize the urgency and identify locations for implementation of mitigation measures. One tool for estimating radiation risk/exposure is RESRAD RDD.

Click Here for the Table of Technologies

1. Spill Removal on Road

To contain the chemical contamination on the road surface, emergency responders may elect to use several basic hand tools, sorption technologies, and/or neutralizing agents. Click on the links below to learn more about these technologies.
 

• Manual tools
• Sorption technologies

2. Containment and Removal Technologies in Creek

Depending on the properties of the chemical, contamination that reaches the waterway may need to be removed from the creek bed and the creek water may need to be treated. Click on the links below to learn more about these technologies
 

• Removal technologies
• Containment technologies
• Sorption technologies
• Diversion technologies

1. Building Protection

Temporary walls made from readily available materials such as sandbags may be used to prevent contaminated water from intruding into buildings. Click on the link below to learn about other types of containment technologies.
 

• Containment technologies

2. Waterway Protection

Stormwater may need to be prevented from entering the river to stop contamination from spreading further downstream. Devices such as sewer plugs are one option for preventing outfalls from releasing water. Items like sandbags can be used to prevent contaminated runoff water from entering waterways. Click on the link below to learn about additional containment technologies.
 

• Containment technologies

3. Riverbank Containment

One way to prevent the exchange of contamination between the river and the streets during flooding is to prevent water from overtopping the banks of the river by constructing temporary barriers. Click on the link below to learn more about containment technologies.
 

• Containment technologies

4. Sewer Protection

When contaminated water should be blocked from entering the sewer system to prevent the need for decontaminating the pipeline and/or transporting contamination to outfall locations then devices such as inlet seals may be placed over the stormwater grates or filters inserted into the catch basin. Click on the link below to learn more about diversion technologies.
 

• Diversion technologies

1. Waste Staging Areas

Remediating radiologically contaminated areas may generate a substantial quantity of solid and liquid waste. The response team may designate areas such as open parking lots to store the waste containers after assessing a number of factors. One consideration is the prevention of stormwater runoff from transporting the contamination and re- contaminating remediated areas. Click on the link below to learn about additional stormwater containment technologies.
 

• Containment technologies

2. Repurposing Existing Infrastructure

Utilizing existing reservoirs (with consideration of available decontamination options) is one option for onsite treatment of contaminated stormwater water and/or temporary storage of wash water from remediation activities. Learn more about mobile treatment technologies to couple with existing infrastructure by clinking on the link below.
 

• Treatment technologies

3. Utilizing Land Features to Assist in Remediation

Contamination may bind to soil particles and be transported in stormwater runoff in particulate and soluble form. Existing contaminated natural channels and retention basins hold the opportunity to collect the contaminated water and tools like bypass pumps may be used to redirect the stormwater treatment location. Click on the links below to learn more generally about diversion and treatment technologies.
 

• Diversion technologies
• Treatment technologies