Washington Street Stormwater Improvement

Video provided by Earthwerks, Inc.

Project Details: For years flooding and surcharged storm sewers have been a problem for a residential neighborhood in Elmhurst, IL. In order to solve the issue, the city selected StormTrap’s underground detention system to control stormwater volume and reduce the stress on the existing system.  “The StormTrap system was able to store a large quantity underground while providing an aesthetically pleasing field for the surrounding residential properties,” states Emily K. Basalla, P.E., CFM, project engineer for Clark Dietz, Inc.

Challenge: There were two main requirements for this project. First, the system had to be installed underground because the south region of Elmhurst is a densely packed residential neighborhood and there is not sufficient space available for a detention pond. The ideal was “to provide the community with seemingly no change in the terrain,” affirms Basalla.  The second requirement was that the system needed to maximize the storage capacity within a very limited available footprint.

Solution: The 8’-0’’ DoubleTrap system (286 pieces) provided the solution for the project.  Inconspicuously located beneath a grass field, the underground system provides a significant improvement to the previously experienced flood conditions in the neighborhood.

“The system drains to a stormwater pump station that discharges the stormwater back into the municipal storm sewer system once it is no longer in surcharged conditions,” explains the engineer.

As an overall experience with StormTrap, Basalla declared that “working with StormTrap was excellent and communication made everything go smoothly. Obtaining design drawings and updates for bidding went quickly and the representatives at StormTrap were very knowledgeable and eager to help answer questions through the entire process”.