Test Standard Focuses on Storm Water Treatment Products

While there are many commercially available storm water treatment products currently on the market, there is no universal testing standard that would allow the performance of these products to be accurately compared. A proposed new ASTM International standard will fill this need, providing a testing method for storm water treatment products that use filtration as a primary treatment process.

ASTM WK36628, Test Method for Measuring Effectiveness of Filtration Products for Stormwater Treatment, is currently being developed by Subcommittee C27.70 on Precast Concrete Products for Stormwater Management, part of ASTM International Committee C27 on Precast Concrete Products.

According to Peter Weiss, associate professor at Valparaiso University and a C27.70 member, WK36628 will specifically consider how to determine the hydraulic characteristics of a filtration system by experimentally determining the hydraulic conductivity of the filter within the unit.

"The proposed standard will allow users to determine the hydraulic capacity of the filter system within the unit," Weiss said. "Users will be able to estimate how a storm water treatment product that uses filtration as a primary means of treatment will perform in the field."

In addition to manufacturers of storm water treatment products that utilize filtration to treat storm water, the proposed standard will be used by experimental laboratories that are hired by manufacturers to perform independent tests on their products.

All interested parties are invited to participate in the standards developing activities of Subcommittee C27.70.