Envirokeeper^®

With the increasing need for better water and stormwater management practices the need for improved systems has become evident. Increasing population and urbanization has created the need for the ability to direct and store not only peak stormwater flow, but also to divert water to prevent erosion and provide for water treatment, as well as harvesting stormwater for irrigation and ground water restoration.

While a variety of systems have existed for many years, they tend to have been adapted from existing systems that have been modified in their usage. Still others provide only temporary, short term lifespans that require high maintenance or periodic replacement. There is an ever-present need to provide a system that not only meets the water management needs, but also provides a low impact, low maintenance, and high strength solution. Envirokeeper is that system.

Envirokeeper is a modular precast, pre-engineered, reinforced concrete in-ground detention, retention, harvesting, and infiltration system designed for maximum efficiency and minimal environmental impact. It is available in a variety of widths, and heights up to 16 feet. Because it is manufactured in plant controlled conditions, it allows for simultaneous construction of the modules and the site work, reducing overall construction time. It also allows for higher quality concrete, tighter tolerances, and better finish quality.

This system has many benefits and advantages over conventional stormwater systems. These include:

• Low environmental impact: The system utilizes reinforced concrete. The raw materials of concrete and steel are often composed of post-consumer recycled materials. Additionally concrete is inert in the environment.
• High Durability: Concrete has a well-documented long term life cycle.
• High Strength: The reinforced concrete modules can be design for heavy traffic loadings with minimal cover or greater cover with more depth. This can provide for easier access for maintenance and can reclaim land for uses such as parking lots, land that was previously lost to open detention ponds.
• Flexibility: The system is adaptable to not only detention and retention, but also infiltration and harvesting. The modules can even be designed for water conveyance as bottomless culverts with strip footings.
• Adaptability: The modules can be configured for minimal depth over larger areas or maximum depth over smaller footprints depending on site conditions and requirements. Module sizes are variable rather than fixed by the forming system.
• Portability: The forming system is portable and can be used in plant controlled conditions or where shipping costs are prohibitive it can be shipped to the site for on-site casting, reducing overall cost.
• Cost Savings: Because the system is designed specifically for stormwater management it can utilize the minimal amount of materials required by the site and loading conditions.
• Water Treatment: The modules can be supplied with a variety of different filter media to control suspended solids, oil and grease, and nitrates.
• Dependability: Reinforced concrete has been used for decades and has a proven record and performance.
• Efficiency: The forming system is designed to consider maximum efficiency during the setup, casting, and form stripping processes. Form break-down is kept to a minimum by making use of “positive draft” for the interior and exterior surfaces, thus saving time and labor costs.

As mentioned above, the EnviroKeeper system offers many benefits over traditional stormwater management systems that can pay off for not only the contractors and developers, but also for the building owners, tenants, and more importantly the environment.