Clean Water Shouldn’t Cost A Fortune

In 2024, a large-scale residential development in Northern California adopted passive stormwater treatment using APS Floc Log and Silt Stop products to address turbidity on a challenging and highly scrutinized site. The nearly 800-acre project area featured steep slopes, limited space for detention basins, and soils rich in clay and silt, conditions that made turbidity management particularly difficult during the anticipated rainy season (November 2024 through April 2025).

To meet these challenges, Applied Polymer Systems partnered with project consultants and contractors to design and implement a targeted treatment strategy. The system deployed Floc Logs and Silt Stop clarifying powders across nearly a dozen large open channels to treat stormwater as it flowed across the site. Over a six-month period, the passive treatment system effectively reduced turbidity, with average discharge levels between 20–30 NTUs.

As one of the first projects permitted under California’s updated 2022 Construction General Permit, which formally allows passive stormwater treatment, this effort stands as a model for responsible and effective implementation. It highlights how thoughtful planning, site-specific design, and coordinated stakeholder involvement can lead to meaningful improvements in water quality.

A major 300-mile natural gas pipeline through mountainous terrain in the eastern U.S. required a cost-effective, environmentally responsible solution to manage turbidity during construction. With over 1,000 sensitive water crossings and 40–50 inches of annual rainfall, the project faced intense regulatory scrutiny and complex environmental challenges.

To address these issues, the team implemented passive flocculant treatment systems using Floc Logs and Silt Stop clarifying powders from Applied Polymer Systems (APS). These systems minimized turbidity, met discharge standards below 30 NTU, and worked effectively across remote, varied terrain. APS provided critical support through training, site consultation, performance testing, and regulatory guidance.

Each treatment system followed a flexible, standardized setup: dewatering bags within chambers lined with straw bales, plastic, and geotextile fabric, followed by flocculant application, mixing, and a sediment capture zone with BMPs. Over two years, more than 200 systems were installed, consistently achieving 20–30 NTU turbidity. This case demonstrates the scalability, reliability, and environmental benefit of passive flocculant technologies in demanding infrastructure projects.