• Blocks stormwater pollution at the source. Each filter can prevent hundreds of pounds of leaves, street litter, and debris, including phosphorus and nitrogen, from entering waterways every year.

• Reduces contaminants like cigarette butts, plastic bottles, and other street litter from flowing into rivers, lakes, and oceans.

• Supports healthier ecosystems and compliance with environmental standards by achieving TMDL reductions for NPDES / MS4 permits. Proven to reduce Total Phosphorus (TP) and Total Nitrogen (TN) loads.

• Prevents clogged pipes and storm drain backups by keeping leaves and litter out of stormwater catch basins.

• Reduces the frequency and cost of stormwater system maintenance, saving cities like Aventura up to $97,000 within 10 years by making street sweeping more effective than costly vacuum cleanings.

• Designed to retrofit easily into existing or new infrastructure, with filters customizable to any size inlets and allowing for high water flow with an upward-flow, louvered design.

• Minimizes flooding on streets and around properties by preventing leaves and street litter from clogging stormwater inlets, pipes, and drains, while allowing free flow of stormwater.

• Helps cities save money by reducing the need for expensive catch basin cleaning compared to street sweeping.

• Contributes to safer, cleaner, and more livable neighborhoods through public education and communication with the included QR Code Storm Drain Markers, enabling community members to report issues and learn about local pollution prevention efforts.

INSPECTION FREQUENCY & MAINTENANCE TRIGGERS

Routine street sweeping is usually sufficient to collect debris in front of curb inlet filters. Ensure that street sweeping personnel and landscaping crews are aware of the use of stormwater filters and installed locations. Pressure washing can be performed if needed from time to time (e.g. if nearby soil erosion is creating excess debris).

• Routine (Scheduled) Inspection: Especially during the first year of use, inspect each stormwater filter at least four times (quarterly). This helps establish a baseline understanding of debris loads for future maintenance needs (e.g. sweeping frequency). Note that debris types and volumes are influenced by site conditions (e.g. tree canopy, soil erosion, construction activities, convenience stores, fast food restaurants, foot traffic, large events, etc.)

• Supplemental (Post-Storm) Inspection: After every major storm event (e.g. 1 inch of rainfall or more), briefly check for debris in front of filters. Rain directs debris towards filters for easy collection/removal after rain events.

• Seasonal: Clean prior to and immediately following the heavy rainy season and/or snow melt season.

• Clogging/Bypass: Clean if water is pooling in front of the device or bypassing above the filter.

DOCUMENTATION

Use the SOP Technologies patented, geo-tagged QR Code Storm Drain Markers (installed with every stormwater filter) to log maintenance activities, and the SOP Technologies online admin panel for data analysis and downloading. This data informs future maintenance needs and is vital for NPDES reporting of Total Phosphorus (TP), Total Nitrogen (TN) and trash captured by the filters.

Items/data to document (most items are automatically logged when using the SOP Technologies software):  

• Photos before and after maintenance

• Date and Time of Service

• Inspector/Contractor Name

• Location ID/Address

• Estimated Volume and types of Materials Removed (capture details if needed for analysis purposes)

Removing filters: Access behind filters (or underneath when needed)  is achieved by using the provided security screws to remove/reinstall filters, or by lifting up filters that include a hinged mechanism.