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.

PFAS stormwater filtration is a documented treatment objective for Smart Sponge® media, which captures per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances alongside heavy metals, hydrocarbons, bacteria, nutrients, sediment, and trash — all without pumps, power, or costly infrastructure upgrades. For MS4 and NPDES permit holders facing tightening discharge standards, that combination of contaminant breadth and operational simplicity addresses a compliance gap that sediment-only controls cannot close. Understanding how passive media selection works — and what it means for your permit and your maintenance budget — is the starting point for any serious PFAS stormwater treatment decision.

Why PFAS Has Become a Priority Contaminant for MS4 and NPDES Permit Holders

Municipalities, departments of transportation, and airports operate paved catchments that accumulate PFAS from a range of surface sources — including deicing agents, firefighting foam residues, and industrial coatings that wash off with every storm event. When that runoff reaches a catch basin and eventually an outfall, MS4 and NPDES permits increasingly require permit holders to demonstrate measurable pollutant reduction, not just sediment capture. PFAS compounds are persistent, meaning they do not break down in the environment, and regulators at the federal and state level have been tightening maximum contaminant levels and monitoring requirements. For permit holders, that trajectory means treatment systems selected today need to meet today's requirements without limiting tomorrow's options — a design principle that passive, media-based filtration is well positioned to satisfy. See <a href="https://abtechindustries.com/">Smart Sponge® Water Treatment — Abtech Industries</a>.

How Smart Sponge® Media Targets PFAS in Flowing Stormwater

Smart Sponge® is a proprietary filtration media engineered to capture challenging contaminants from flowing water. Its PFAS-targeting formulation is one of several media variants that can be selected and combined within a single system to address multiple treatment objectives simultaneously. The media works passively — no pumps, no electrical connections, no active mechanical components — which means it can be deployed inside existing catch basins or floated across channels and outfalls without modifying surrounding infrastructure. For permit holders managing dozens or hundreds of drain points across a municipal storm system or airfield, that retrofit compatibility is a practical requirement, not a preference. The media's high-porosity structure sustains flow rates up to 40 GPM per square foot with under 1 PSI of back pressure, so treatment does not create the flooding risk or maintenance burden that undersized or clogging inserts produce. Learn more about how Smart Sponge® addresses the full range of stormwater water quality priorities on the Abtech Industries stormwater treatment page.

Media Selection: Matching Smart Sponge® Formulations to Your Site's Contaminant Profile

Every site presents a different mix of contaminants, flow conditions, and discharge requirements. A municipal storm drain in a dense urban corridor may carry hydrocarbons, dissolved metals, nutrients, and trash alongside PFAS. An airport catchment treating deicing-season runoff may have elevated hydrocarbon and metal loads that require a different media combination than a coastal marina managing fuel sheen and bilge discharge. Smart Sponge® media formulations can be selected individually or combined within a single system to address multiple treatment objectives — from TSS and sediment capture through a high-porosity structure, to dissolved metals, Total Organic Carbon (TOC), bacteria, nutrients, and PFAS. That modular approach means the treatment system is built around the site's actual contaminant profile, not around a single product configuration applied uniformly. Abtech's consultative process begins with a Site Assessment to identify which media combination matches the site's water quality priorities and discharge requirements before any hardware is specified.

| --- | --- | --- | --- |

| PFAS | Contaminant-specific media formulation captures per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from flowing stormwater | Ultra-Urban® Filter insert in catch basin or boom at outfall | MS4, NPDES |

| Hydrocarbons & oil sheen | Hydrophobic, oil-loving media binds hydrocarbons into a stable solid without wringing out | Ultra-Urban® Filter insert or Floating Smart Sponge® boom | MS4, NPDES, coastal operating permits |

| Heavy metals | Contaminant-specific media targets dissolved metals including lead, mercury, arsenic, chromium, zinc, and copper | Ultra-Urban® Filter insert in catch basin | MS4, NPDES |

| Sediment & TSS | High-porosity structure captures suspended solids and sediment while maintaining flow and reducing maintenance demands | Ultra-Urban® Filter insert | MS4, NPDES |

The Ultra-Urban® Filter: Retrofit-Ready PFAS Treatment at the Catch Basin

The Ultra-Urban® Filter is a drop-in insert that positions Smart Sponge® media directly inside existing catch basins and deck drains. For MS4 permit holders managing large numbers of drain points across a municipal storm system, the retrofit compatibility of the Ultra-Urban® Filter is a budget-critical advantage: no excavation, no new infrastructure, no pump installation. The insert is sized to the basin, and the media formulation is selected to match the site's contaminant priorities — including PFAS where that is a permit requirement. Flow rates up to 40 GPM per square foot with under 1 PSI of back pressure mean the insert handles storm event volumes without backing up or bypassing treatment. For airports treating deicing-season runoff across paved airfield catchments, Ultra-Urban® Filters cut hydrocarbon and metal loads before discharge — and the same insert configuration can carry PFAS-targeting media where airfield PFAS sources are a documented concern.

Floating Smart Sponge® Booms: PFAS and Hydrocarbon Capture at Outfalls, Channels, and Marine Environments

Where catch basin inserts treat runoff at the point of collection, Floating Smart Sponge® booms intercept contaminants at channels, outfalls, and open water surfaces. For coastal operators — marinas, ports, and harbor operators — booms float around fueling docks and slips to capture oil sheen and hydrocarbons the moment they appear, while inserts treat runoff at deck drains. The media is hydrophobic and oil-loving: it binds hydrocarbons into a stable solid and keeps working without wringing out, which reduces the frequency of media replacement and keeps maintenance demands low. For stormwater applications, booms positioned at outfalls provide a final treatment barrier before discharge reaches receiving waters — a deployment strategy that complements catch basin inserts in systems where multiple treatment points are needed to meet NPDES discharge requirements. The same media selection and combination approach applies: PFAS-targeting formulations can be incorporated into boom configurations where the site's contaminant profile and discharge requirements call for it.

| Evidence | Recorded figure |

| --- | --- |

| Abtech Industries makes and deploys Smart Sponge®, a passive filtration media | 40 |

| Smart Sponge® media drops into existing catch basins as an Ultra-Urban® Filter | 40 |

| Abtech Industries is a water treatment company built around Smart Sponge®, a | 40 |

| Keyword demand: "stormwater management" — 2400 monthly searches — difficulty 26 | 2400 |

Frequently Asked Questions: PFAS Stormwater Filtration with Smart Sponge®

Q: Does Smart Sponge® media specifically target PFAS, or is PFAS capture incidental to other treatment objectives? Smart Sponge® includes a contaminant-specific media formulation engineered to target PFAS. Because different sites present different contaminant profiles, media formulations are selected and combined to address multiple treatment objectives — PFAS can be one of several targets within a single system, alongside hydrocarbons, heavy metals, TSS, nutrients, bacteria, and Total Organic Carbon (TOC).
Q: Can Smart Sponge® be installed in existing catch basins without modifying the basin or surrounding infrastructure? Yes. The Ultra-Urban® Filter is a drop-in insert sized to fit existing catch basins and deck drains. No excavation, pump installation, or power connection is required. This retrofit compatibility is a core design principle for MS4 and NPDES permit holders managing large numbers of drain points.
Q: What flow rates can Smart Sponge® handle during storm events without bypassing treatment? Smart Sponge® media sustains flow rates up to 40 GPM per square foot with under 1 PSI of back pressure. That combination of high flow and low resistance is designed to handle storm event volumes without creating flooding risk or treatment bypass.
Q: Does deploying Smart Sponge® guarantee MS4 or NPDES permit compliance? No. Smart Sponge® supports MS4 and NPDES compliance by providing measurable pollutant reduction at the catch basin and outfall, but permit approval depends on site conditions, the specific requirements of the applicable permit, and regulatory review. Abtech's consultative approach — including Site Assessments — helps permit holders select media and deployment configurations matched to their discharge requirements.
Q: Is Smart Sponge® maintenance-free? No. Smart Sponge® is a low-maintenance system — it works without pumps, power, or active mechanical components — but media replacement is a scheduled maintenance activity. Permit holders should plan for periodic inspection and media change-out as part of their stormwater management program.
Q: Can the same system address both PFAS and hydrocarbons, or do those require separate installations? Smart Sponge® media formulations can be selected and combined within a single system to address multiple contaminant targets simultaneously. A single Ultra-Urban® Filter insert or boom can carry PFAS-targeting media alongside hydrocarbon-capturing media, matching the system to the site's full contaminant profile.
Q: How does Abtech determine which media combination is right for a specific site? The process starts with a Site Assessment. Abtech's team reviews the site's contaminant profile, flow conditions, and discharge requirements before specifying media formulations and deployment formats. The goal is a system built around the site's actual water quality priorities — not a uniform product applied without site-specific analysis.
Q: Are Floating Smart Sponge® booms suitable for PFAS capture at marine outfalls and coastal environments? Floating Smart Sponge® booms are deployed at channels, outfalls, fueling docks, and slips. The same media selection approach applies in marine environments: PFAS-targeting formulations can be incorporated into boom configurations where the site's contaminant profile and discharge requirements call for it, alongside hydrocarbon and sheen capture for coastal operating permit compliance.

Passive PFAS Stormwater Filtration: Engineering Media Selection and Regulatory Discharge Compliance