Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 250 - Department of Environmental Management › Chapter 150 - Water Resources › Subchapter 10 - Wastewater And Storm Water › Part 8 - Stormwater Management, Design and Installation Rules › Section 250-RICR-150-10-8.40 - Technology Assessment Protocol Methodology

Current through June 14, 2024
A. The
				  objectives of this protocol are to characterize, with a reasonable level of
				  statistical confidence, an emerging technology's effectiveness in removing
				  pollutants from stormwater runoff and to compare test results with proponents'
				  claims.
B. Primary treatment level
				  designation is granted based on the information submitted and best professional
				  judgment. Submitting the appropriate amount of data does not guarantee that
				  primary treatment designation will be given. Decisions are based on system
				  performance and other factors such as maintenance burden, operation, and
				  integrity. Technologies not granted primary treatment will automatically be
				  considered as pretreatment or secondary treatment.
C. Quality Assurance Plan: Before initiating
				  testing, a QAP must be prepared based on this protocol. The QAP must be
				  submitted for review before conducting field tests. The QAP must specify the
				  procedures to be followed to ensure the validity of the test results and
				  conclusions. The QAP must specify the name, address, and contact information
				  for each organization and individual participating in the performance testing.
				  Include project manager, test site owner/manager, field personnel, consultant
				  oversight participants, and analytical laboratory that will perform the sample
				  analyses. Identify each study participant's roles and responsibilities and
				  provide key personnel resumes. In addition, provide a schedule documenting when
				  the vendor's equipment will be installed, the expected field testing start
				  date, projected field sampling completion, and final project report
				  submittal.
D. Field Testing and
				  Site Characterization: Sites must provide influent concentrations typical of
				  stormwater for those land use types for the technology's intended applications.
				  National median stormwater concentrations contains about 43, 49, 81, and 99
				  mg/L TSS for commercial, residential, industrial, and freeway land use
				  classifications respectively (Pitt, R. E., Maestre, A., and Center for
				  Watershed Protection. 2005. The National Stormwater Quality Database, version
				  1.1. USEPA Office of Water, Washington, D.C.). Include the following
				  information about the test site:
1. Field
				  test site catchment area, tributary land uses, (roadway, commercial, high-use
				  site, residential, industrial, etc.) and amount of impervious cover;
2. Description of potential pollutant sources
				  in the catchment area;
3. Baseline
				  stormwater quality information to characterize conditions at the site. For
				  sites that have already been developed, it is recommended that the investigator
				  collect baseline data to provide a sizing basis for the practice, and to
				  determine whether site conditions and runoff quality are conducive to
				  performance testing;
4. Site map
				  showing catchment area, drainage system layout, and treatment practice and
				  sampling equipment locations;
5.
				  Catchment flow rates (i.e., water quality design flow, 1-year, 10-year, and
				  100-year peak flow rates) at 15-minute and 1-hour time steps as provided by an
				  approved continuous runoff model;
6. Make, model, and capacity of the treatment
				  device, if applicable;
7. Location
				  and description of the closest receiving water body;
8. Description of bypass flow rates and/or
				  flow splitter designs necessary to accommodate the treatment
				  technology;
9. Description of
				  pretreatment system, if required by site conditions or technology operation;
				  and
10. Description of any known
				  adverse site conditions such as climate, tidal influence, high groundwater,
				  rainfall pattern, steep slopes, erosion, high spill potential, illicit
				  connections to stormwater catchment areas, industrial runoff, etc.