INDUSTRY INSIGHT
Managing First Flush. Controlling Hydrocarbons. Keeping Sites Compliant.
Stormwater is one of the most unpredictable wastewater streams in industry. Flows surge without warning, pollutant loads spike during the “first flush,” and regulatory limits grow tighter every year. Construction, industrial operations, transportation hubs, and fueling areas all face a common challenge: when stormwater carries oils, solids, and sheen off a site, regulators are watching and penalties follow.
Mercer International’s enhanced gravity separators bring dependable oil and solids removal to stormwater systems that have long struggled with underperforming hydrodynamic separators, clogged filters, and oversized concrete vaults. Built around controlled flow geometry, automatic product removal, and real-world capture efficiency, Mercer systems help facilities stay compliant even under surge conditions.
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Stormwater quality is shaped by factors beyond operator control, weather intensity, site activity, seasonal changes, and contaminant buildup on hard surfaces.
Key challenges include:
Traditional stormwater infrastructure:sumps, swirl concentrators, and plastic filters cannot deliver predictable hydrocarbon removal across changing flow and loading conditions.
Mercer brings process-grade, API 421-aligned separation performance to environments traditionally dependent on low-efficiency devices.
Common stormwater applications include:
Mercer systems provide reliable primary treatment before discharge to storm sewers, drainage channels, infiltration systems, or reuse applications.
MERCER ADVANTAGE
Unlike hydrodynamic separators or vault-based solutions, Mercer systems are engineered around predictable performance, even when flows are irregular.
Mercer’s Multi-Pack™ coalescer media targets oil droplets down to 60 microns, outperforming swirl concentrators and filters that allow sheen and emulsified hydrocarbons to escape.
Controlled flow geometry prevents short-circuiting and bypass, a common failure mode of open-vault CPI packs and hydrodynamic units during peak rain events.
Timer-actuated solids purging and automatic oil recovery minimize operator intervention and limit confined-space entry to vaults.
Designed with pre-settlement zones and self-cleaning flow paths that resist plugging and fouling from site runoff.
Mercer units integrate into tight industrial footprints and retrofit easily into existing concrete vaults or stormwater basins.
Performance aligns with EPA and state-specific stormwater requirements for hydrocarbon capture, sheen prevention, and solids control.
Why Mercer
Stormwater systems often suffer from inadequate technology and unpredictable performance. Mercer solves these issues with engineered separation built for real conditions.
Mercer systems:
