Insights & guides

A practical breakdown of what qualifies as a stormwater BMP under NPDES and MS4 permits, and how passive, media-based treatment like Smart Sponge® addresses heavy metals, bacteria, TSS, and trash capture at the catch basin.

Stormwater BMPs cover a wide range of structural and non-structural practices, but most conventional approaches target sediment while leaving dissolved metals, hydrocarbons, PFAS, and bacteria untreated at the outfall. Here's what permit holders actually need to know.

Influent and effluent sampling for a stormwater treatment pilot gives permit holders the documented pollutant reduction data that MS4 and NPDES inspectors require — and shapes every media selection decision before full deployment.

A stormwater management system moves runoff from paved catchments through collection, conveyance, storage, and treatment before it reaches a regulated discharge point.

Most operators treat outfall hydrocarbon capture as an end-of-pipe problem. Smart Sponge® media deployed in catch basins and floating booms intercepts hydrocarbons at the point of collection — before they reach the outfall at all.

Deck drain filtration inserts intercept hydrocarbons, dissolved metals, nutrients, and other priority contaminants at the point of collection — but only if the media inside targets those pollutants rather than just coarse debris.

Heavy metals in stormwater runoff — zinc, copper, lead, aluminum, and iron — trigger NPDES benchmark exceedances when both the particulate and dissolved fractions reach your permitted outfall untreated.

A stormwater pit or catch basin collects runoff from paved surfaces and routes it toward outfalls — but collection alone does not reduce pollutant loads.

A stormwater bill is a utility charge that funds the infrastructure and treatment systems a municipality uses to manage rainwater runoff — and the NPDES and MS4 permit obligations that come with it.

Learn how chlorinated hydrocarbons impact water quality in municipal, transportation, and marine drainage, and explore passive filtration solutions using Smart Sponge® media.

A stormwater inspector evaluates whether your drainage infrastructure captures priority pollutants before they reach receiving waters. Here is what municipalities, DOTs, airports, and marina operators need to know to stay compliant.

Drop inlets and catch basins both collect stormwater runoff, but they differ in geometry, placement, and treatment potential — distinctions that matter when MS4 and NPDES permits demand measurable pollutant reduction at the point of collection.

Recycling facilities operating under industrial NPDES stormwater permits — particularly MSGP Sector N — routinely see benchmark exceedances for zinc, copper, and lead because conventional sediment-only BMPs miss the dissolved metal fraction that sweeping and berms cannot intercept.

Heavy metals reductions at recycling facilities depend on capturing dissolved and particulate metals before stormwater runoff reaches permitted discharge points.

Smart Sponge® passive filtration media targets PFAS in stormwater runoff without pumps, power, or infrastructure upgrades — supporting MS4 and NPDES discharge compliance for municipalities, DOTs, and airports managing large paved catchments.

Heavy metals reductions at metal fabrication facilities start with identifying which site sources are loading zinc, copper, aluminum, iron, or lead into stormwater before the first drop reaches your NPDES-permitted outfall.

Floating hydrocarbon booms deploy Smart Sponge® media across slips, fueling docks, channels, and outfalls to capture oil sheen and hydrocarbons passively — no pumps, no power, no infrastructure overhaul required.

Marina fuel dock spill prevention depends on capturing oil sheen and hydrocarbons at the source — before they reach sensitive harbor waters. Smart Sponge® booms and inserts from Abtech Industries provide passive, low-maintenance hydrocarbon capture around fueling docks and slips without pumps,

Fuel sheen at marina fueling docks and slips is a direct regulatory risk — Smart Sponge® booms and deck drain inserts from Abtech Industries capture hydrocarbons, oil sheen, and dock runoff passively, without pumps or infrastructure upgrades, to help protect harbor water quality and support

Chlorinated hydrocarbons are regulated priority pollutants that reach receiving waters through stormwater runoff, industrial drainage, and marine environments. Learn how passive filtration with Smart Sponge® media helps municipalities, ports, and marinas capture hydrocarbon contamination at the

Catch basins for drainage collect and channel stormwater runoff, but without a filter insert, they pass hydrocarbons, metals, and other priority contaminants directly into receiving waters. This walkthrough explains how Ultra-Urban® Filter inserts and Smart Sponge® media work inside catch basins —

A catch basin filter is a drop-in treatment insert placed inside a standard stormwater catch basin to capture hydrocarbons, heavy metals, nutrients, and other priority contaminants before runoff reaches receiving waters. Abtech Industries supplies Ultra-Urban® Filter inserts loaded with Smart

A stormwater drain filter intercepts hydrocarbons, heavy metals, nutrients, and other priority contaminants at the catch basin before they reach receiving waters. Learn how passive drop-in inserts and floating booms can help municipalities, DOTs, airports, and marine operators meet MS4 and NPDES

Bacteria drive beach closures and impaired-water listings. Learn where stormwater bacteria come from and how to reduce them at the catch basin.

Oil, grease, and fuel are among the most common pollutants in urban runoff. Learn where stormwater hydrocarbons come from and how to filter them at the catch basin.