Storm Water Treatment System

The US Navy has developed, tested, and patented a storm water runoff treatment system that meets stringent military and governmental industrial site toxicity requirements. The system is similar to a sand filter; however, instead of relying solely on sand, heavy metals, in particular zinc and copper, are removed by a bed of special filter-adsorption materials. Military and industrial sites must comply with increasingly stringent discharge requirements. Most commercially available storm water runoff systems are not built to handle the elevated metal content present in military and industrial runoff. The Navy system meets strict regulatory toxicity requirements in a cost-effective manner. Benefits: Effective: The Navy system has consistently exceeded regulatory requirements while the previous system met requirements only one-third of the time. Low capital cost: The subject treatment system costs approximately $20,000 per acre of watershed compared to at least $57,000 per acre for the previsouly installed commercial technology. Space saving: The technology requires a smaller amount of space compared to competing technologies, making it attractive for cramped military and industrial sites. Low maintenance costs: Media bed expected to last at least 10 years before requireing replacement. Routine upkeep expected to consist of removing and replacing the top ince of gravel on the bed annually. The US Navy seeks a commercial partner to commercialize a storm water treatment system that removes heavy metals in a cost-effective manner. US patents 7,025,887 and 7,160465 are available for license. Additional details of the technology, including technical reports and cost analyses, an overview of the licensing process, and an interview with the inventors, are available through TechLink.