Storm Sewers & Municipal Drainage
Flexible corrugated plastic pipe out performs its rigid counterpart, reinforced concrete pipe.
Storm sewers collect stormwater runoff through a surface inlet and drain it in a closed system, often inlet to inlet, to an appropriate outlet, such as a stream or other waterway. Storm sewer systems range from small and simple, such as for a modest housing or retail development, to large and complex networks in metropolitan areas serving a combination of residential, commercial and industrial developments.
When stormwater runoff discharges into waterways, it can be subject to strict regulations pertaining to quality and quantity. In the past, stormwater runoff was considered relatively clean and could be freely discharged into watercourses. It is now accepted that runoff may contain hydrocarbons and other chemicals, a wide range of suspended solids, as well as debris picked up from the ground surface during rainfall. Screening, filtration or hydrodynamic systems may be a necessary to improve runoff quality.
The quantity and the runoff rate are also significant. Storm sewers are sized for specific runoff rates; improperly sized systems may create a surcharged condition or upstream flooding. Corrugated plastic pipe is ideal for storm sewer systems, such as underground retention/detention systems as it has the structural strength and watertight joint systems to control runoff quantity and rates of release.
Withstands a range of covers
Many storm sewers are installed under pavement and must withstand vehicular loads, often under a minimum of cover. A system may have a wide range of cover requirements, especially when the terrain is hilly or rolling. Flexible corrugated plastic pipe outperforms its rigid counterpart, reinforced concrete pipe, in deep burials due to its ability to interact effectively with the backfill. Properly backfilled, corrugated plastic pipe can be buried at depths of 20 ft (6 m) or more.