The development of the Davis Heights residential project in Ontario, Canada, had two main concerns, both related to the storm water system’s location beneath the sanitary sewer system. The first problem was regarding the ability of the chambers to support the load above them due to the unusual required depth of 16 ft. Most chamber manufacturers restrict the amount of cover above their chambers to 8 ft; none state that more than 12 ft can be used. Jason Schooley of Upper Canada Planning and Eng. originally specified the use of a particular plastic chamber system, but its manufacturer declined to sell them because it feared a system collapse. The second challenge was the need to perform regular inspections and maintenance on the chambers at such a depth.
Both problems could be addressed with the strength of Hydrologic Solutions’ StormChambers and the easy maintenance of its SedimenTraps sediment management system. In testing, the chambers exceeded the AASHTO wheel load rating standards by more than four times and could effectively be used with deep cover. The design engineers were assured that previous deep cover installations with the chambers were successful. The second issue could be addressed with the patented sediment management system. Its design allows for easy inspection, and maintenance only requires a vacuum truck for clean out.
StormChamber Representative Ed Haq and an Upper Canada Planning & Eng. site inspector oversaw the project to ensure the installation standards and design layout were upheld. Due to the required depth of the system, the chambers had to be installed one section at a time. Immediately after installation, continued construction required heavy equipment to be driven over the new system. The chambers easily supported the weight of the equipment.
