The civil engineering community supports governing bodies (cities, townships, etc.) and developers that spend vast amounts of money on stormwater management infrastructure. These engineers often don’t have the time or resources to explore every option that not only meets the regulatory threshold and may also be most cost effective. Ultimately, the project-awarded contractor can bring additional value to the equation through a value engineering proposal/submittal.
Consider a recent commercial warehouse development in Pennsylvania. The three large buildings and associated impervious parking lot footprints created a significant stormwater runoff volume that required water quality treatment by a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) approved water quality filter.
The project specifications included three patented centralized treatment vaults to be supplied by a large, well-known corporation. While the specified vaults conformed to the project’s regulatory and permitting needs, they also brought a stunningly high cost.
The project contractor wisely chose to exercise his due diligence in seeking a more cost-effective alternative vault solution that would also meet the PADEP regulatory threshold.
The contractor sought out a second option for the water quality vaults. In January of 2021, he approached Exeter Supply, a local Fabco distributor. Fabco was asked to provide a viable alternative to the originally specified expensive vaults. After gathering and evaluating all project data and regulatory parameters, Fabco came up with a better stormwater run-off water quality treatment solution.
Fabco’s solution was to custom-design three StormSafe centralized water quality vaults. The vaults utilized Fabco’s highly efficient and PADEP recognized 9718-1 Standard TSS cartridges. The cartridges have PADEP recognition of not only capturing the actual TSS particles but are also credited with removal efficiencies for nutrients like Phosphorus and Nitrogen in the runoff.
Fabco provided the contractor with a submittal for the vaults which was approved by the regulatory agency. These two factors – cost effectiveness and regulatory acceptance – contributed to the ultimate deciding factor for this project, like most public or private sector infrastructure projects: cost.
With the StormSafe approved as an effective stormwater control at a fair, affordable price, the contractor instructed Exeter Supply to order the units for the project. In between initial submission of the Fabco plans and plan approval, changes were made to the grade in the commercial warehouse district. This required altering the schematics and installation details, which Fabco easily adjusted—this not being the first time the team had to deal with changing site conditions.
In the spring of this year, Fabco produced and delivered the units, the first of which has been installed. The specifics of this successful value engineering approach reinforce that big, well-known corporations don’t necessarily provide the best or even the most cost-effective solution to stormwater problems. With the project environmentally compliant, the receiving water body downstream from the commercial warehouses is now protected from stormwater pollution run-off. Once again, Fabco provided a specially designed stormwater solution that did not cut deeply into the project budgets.
In the spring of this year, Fabco produced and delivered the units, the first of which has been installed. The specifics of this successful value engineering approach reinforce that big, well-known corporations don’t necessarily provide the best or even the most cost-effective solution to stormwater problems. With the project environmentally compliant, the receiving water body downstream from the commercial warehouses is now protected from stormwater pollution run-off. Once again, Fabco provided a specially designed stormwater solution that did not cut deeply into the project budgets.
About Fabco Industries:
Fabco Industries is a leader in stormwater management. We design and manufacture high performance storm water filter systems that are highly effective for various treatment applications including retrofits, new construction and green infrastructure. Our range of cost-effective, durable products are designed to meet increasingly stringent pollution control regulations and best management practices for municipal and commercial stormwater markets.
We offer sustainable, simple-to-maintain filtration solutions to meet virtually any stormwater pollution control challenge. Innovative technology. Proven performance. Unbeatable quality and value. Discover all the reasons why Fabco gives you…Evolved Stormwater Solutions.