Why Concentrate on Downtowns Catch Basins?
A catch basin is simply a concrete sump under the road-side curb which catches the water that flows off the street. The water flows into the storm drain, and the sands settle to the bottom of the sump. The automobile is one of the largest contributors to contaminants flowing off our road system in the Capital Region, and the catch basin is the last line of defense before the water reaches the harbour. National studies of sediments captured from the storm drain systems indicate that higher levels of metal contaminants (copper, lead, chromium, cadmium, zinc, lead, mercury, silver and arsenic) are found in the commercial / industrial use areas and paved roads that carry high volumes of traffic. What is Wrong with the Existing Catch Basins? Replacing the older style, small sump catch basins with larger ones, and the installation of a trapping hood, will drastically reduce the amount of floatable oils, garbage and chemically contaminated silts flowing off the roads into the harbour. What Wi
