Designing Pilot Treatment Systems for Evaluation of Passive Nitrogen and Phosphorus Filtration in Stormwater

High concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous, commonly introduced to stormwater through urban runoff, agricultural processes, and domestic wastewater infrastructure, contribute to algal blooms, which can be harmful and sometimes toxic to humans and aquatic life. Rapid testing and de-risking of new stormwater treatment technologies is critical to managing urban water systems. Herein, we report on practical approaches for the evaluation of new sorbent media for stormwater treatment in real-world testing scenarios as a key step in technology development. A stormwater treatment pilot unit was constructed adjacent to a water detention basin on Elon University’s campus to provide a real-world testing environment. Stormwater pumped from an underground junction vault located immediately upstream of the inlet to the detention basin was delivered to columns containing sorbents for nutrient removal as well as a control. Nitrate and phosphate were measured using Ion Chromatography. Quality control parameters were evaluated to validate the analytical method. The statistical significance of the data collected was used to validate the experimental design. This pilot unit provides a unique opportunity to test designed sorbent media in a real-world setting as a de-risking step on product development pathways before intensive regulatory evaluation. The unit and experimental design can serve as a model to others looking to rapidly test new media for water treatment/reuse challenges.