Contech Filterra User Manual

www.ContechES.com/filterra | 800-338-1122
Basic Operations
Filterra®isabioretentionsysteminaconcretebox.
Contaminatedstormwaterrunoffentersthefilterboxthrough
thecurbinletspreadingoverthe3-inchlayerofmulchonthe
surfaceofthefiltermedia.Asthewaterpassesthroughthe
mulchlayer,mostofthelargersedimentparticlesandheavy
metalsareremovedthroughsedimentationandchemical
reactionswiththeorganicmaterialinthemulch.Waterpasses
throughthesoilmediawherethefinerparticlesareremoved
andotherchemicalreactionstakeplacetoimmobilizeand
capturepollutantsinthesoilmedia.Thecleansedwater
passesintoanunderdrainandflowstoapipesystemor
otherappropriatedischargepoint.Oncethepollutantsare
inthesoil,thebacteriabegintobreakdownandmetabolize
thematerialsandtheplantsbegintouptakeandmetabolize
thepollutants.Somepollutantssuchasheavymetals,which
arechemicallyboundtoorganicparticlesinthemulch,are
releasedovertimeastheorganicmatterdecomposesto
releasethemetalstothefeederrootsoftheplantsandthe
cellsofthebacteriainthesoilwheretheyremainandare
recycled.Otherpollutantssuchasphosphorusarechemically
boundtothesoilparticlesandreleasedslowlybacktothe
plantsandbacteriaandusedintheirmetabolicprocesses.
Nitrogengoesthroughaverycomplexvarietyofbiochemical
processeswhereitcanultimatelyendupintheplant/bacteria
biomass,turnedtonitrogengasordissolvesbackintothe
watercolumnasnitratesdependingonsoiltemperature,pH
andtheavailabilityofoxygen.Thepollutantsultimatelyare
retainedinthemulch,soilandbiomasswithsomepassingout
ofthesystemintotheairorbackintothewater.
Design and Installation
Eachprojectpresentsdifferentscopesfortheuseof
Filterra®systems.Toensurethesafeandspecifiedfunction
ofthestormwaterBMP,Contechreviewseachapplication
beforesupply.Informationandhelpmaybeprovidedto
thedesignengineerduringtheplanningprocess.Correct
Filterra®boxsizing(byrainfallregion)isessentialtopredict
pollutantremovalratesforagivenarea.Theengineershall
submitcalculationsforapprovalbythelocaljurisdiction.
Thecontractorisresponsibleforthecorrectinstallationof
Filterraunitsasshowninapprovedplans.Acomprehensive
installationmanualisavailableatwww.conteches.com.
Maintenance
Why Maintain?
Allstormwatertreatmentsystemsrequiremaintenancefor
effectiveoperation.Thisnecessityisoftenincorporatedin
yourproperty’spermittingprocessasalegallybindingBMP
maintenanceagreement.
•Avoidlegalchallengesfromyourjurisdiction’s
maintenanceenforcementprogram.
•ProlongtheexpectedlifespanofyourFilterramedia.
•Avoidmorecostlymediareplacement.
•Helpreducepollutantloadsleavingyourproperty.
SimplemaintenanceoftheFilterra®isrequiredtocontinue
effectivepollutantremovalfromstormwaterrunoffbefore
dischargeintodownstreamwaters.Thisprocedurewillalso
extendthelongevityofthelivingbiofiltersystem.Theunitwill
recycleandaccumulatepollutantswithinthebiomass,but
isalsosubjectedtoothermaterialsenteringthethroat.This
mayincludetrash,siltandleavesetc.whichwillbecontained
withinthevoidbelowthetopgrateandabovethemulch
layer.ToomuchsiltmayinhibittheFilterra’s®flowrate,
whichisthereasonforsitestabilizationbeforeactivation.
Regularreplacementofthemulchstopsaccumulationofsuch
sediment.
When to Maintain?
Contechincludesa1-yearmaintenanceplanwitheach
systempurchase.Annualincludedmaintenanceconsistsofa
maximumoftwo(2)scheduledvisits.Additionalmaintenance
maybenecessarydependingonsedimentandtrashloading
(byOwneroratadditionalcost).Thestartofthemaintenance
planbeginswhenthesystemisactivatedforfulloperation.
Fulloperationisdefinedastheunitinstalled,curbandgutter
andtransitionsinplaceandactivation(bySupplier)when
mulchandplantareaddedandtemporarythroatprotection
removed.
Activationcannotbecarriedoutuntilthesiteisfullystabilized
(fulllandscaping,grasscover,finalpavingandstreetsweeping
completed).Maintenancevisitsarescheduledseasonally;the
springvisitaimstocleanupafterwinterloadsincludingsalts
andsandswhilethefallvisithelpsthesystembyremoving
excessiveleaflitter.
Ithasbeenfoundthatinregionswhichreceivebetween30-50
inchesofannualrainfall,(2)twovisitsaregenerallyrequired;
regionswithlessrainfalloftenonlyrequire(1)onevisitper
annum.Varyinglandusescanaffectmaintenancefrequency;
e.g.somefastfoodrestaurantsrequiremorefrequenttrash
removal.Contributingdrainageareaswhicharesubjecttonew
developmentwhereintherecommendederosionandsediment
controlmeasureshavenotbeenimplementedmayrequire
additionalmaintenancevisits.
Somesitesmaybesubjectedtoextremesedimentortrash
loads,requiringmorefrequentmaintenancevisits.Thisisthe
reasonfordetailednotesofmaintenanceactionsperunit,
helpingtheSupplierandOwnerpredictfuturemaintenance
frequencies,reflectingindividualsiteconditions.
Ownersmustpromptlynotifythe(maintenance)Supplierof
anydamagetotheplant(s),whichconstitute(s)anintegralpart
ofthebioretentiontechnology.Ownersshouldalsoadvise
otherlandscapeormaintenancecontractorstoleaveall
maintenancetotheSupplier(i.e.nopruningorfertilizing).

Contech Filterra Specifications

General

Brand	Contech
Model	Filterra
Category	Water Filtration Systems
Language	English