Case Studies

Calbag Metals Co. is a 4-acre non-ferrous metal recycling facility located in Portland Oregon. The metal recycling facility had been using catch basin inserts along with an oil/water separator and a cartridge filter with compost media, to treat the site’s stormwater prior to discharge. Though the cartridge filter noticeably reduced contaminants in Calbag’s stormwater discharge, it was not able to achieve adequate copper or zinc removal to meet the site’s stormwater permit requirements.

StormwateRx supplied Calbag Metals with a Clara® 25C and Aquip® Model 160SBE system; the Aquip system was specifically designed for Calbag Metals using historic stormwater sampling data from the site as well as the known pollutants commonly found in scrap yard stormwater runoff. Aquip is an industrial stormwater filtration system containing both inert and sorptive media to remove total suspended solids and metals. Also specifically designed into the Aquip is its ability to easily integrate into existing facilities with minimal construction cost. This is due to its relatively small footprint, above-ground configuration, and passive (gravity operated) flow-through design.

Prior to Aquip is Clara. The Clara plug-flow stormwater separator is integrated as pretreatment to the Aquip system to reduce oil and grease and particulates. With the treatment train approach, the stormwater runoff first passes through Clara, for pretreatment then through Aquip for the treatment portion of the treatment train. The result is more effective pollutant reduction.