Summary of notes from PE Meetings (3/10/2024)

Water supply and demand

  •  May need a   Right of Way permit for connection

 Water main pipe sizing

  • Regulatory codes for pipe sizing – BWL or Eaton County may have required sizes

o   Plumbing code/ local zoning ordinances

o   Make sure to use Hazen-Williams equation (not Manning’s equation)

o   Make sure that there are no obstructions between the buildings and fire hydrants. Make sure fire trucks can easily access the hydrants. 

  • Sanitary sewer size: to be larger than water main connection size (gravity fed)

o   Typically 8-in sewer service line for maintenance purposes

Stormwater treatment 

  • Soil types and composition for infiltration

o    Infiltration – BMP in Michigan and becoming more common in Michigan: See this document for details

o    Other common BMPs: forebay, rain garden, bioretention system (Use the LID Manual for Michigan as a guide

o    However, be careful of location of pervious pavement – do you want contaminated water infiltrating?

o    Discuss soil types and infiltration rates with your geotechnical specialist. You need to determine the feasibility of infiltration (e.g., if you have clay soils, infiltration rates will be too slow to rely on it)

  • Stormwater permit for Eaton County – There may be additional permits depending on who owns the roads
  • Rain barrels or cisterns have ~72 hr lifetimes for water use. Make sure these are of sufficient capacity if used.
  • Consider the impact of water entering the wetland before/after development – if significant, it must be addressed
  • Make sure to design the outlet control device for releasing water to drain or other applications
  • Consider a detention pond (stores rainwater and gradually releases it) over retention pond (permanently holds water) (discuss with hydrologist). Which ever you chose, make sure you have engaged in thorough engineering decision-making.
  • It is important to decide on the treatment technologies you plan to use. You need to make sure to discuss with your hydrology specialist in particular.  Also make sure you have calculated the Water Quality Volume (1 inch rainfall volume that your system must treat). It is recommended that you add a bypass for rainfall exceeding “first flush” requirement. Also check the Eaton County Stormwater Manual to make sure that it is the first 1” (some counties use 0.9 or 1.3”)

o   Calculate the WQV of the proposed green roof, pervious pavements etc. Compare to required WQV.

o   When evaluating technologies, make sure to consider maintenance tasks, frequencies, and responsible parties for maintenance. This is typically required for permitting. Make sure to include O&M in your decision matrix.

o    If rain gardens are favored, use software to calculate the retention capacity to ensure the first inch of the rain event can be held.

o   Consider the energy costs of a centrifugal separator. A sedimentation forebay may cost less and will use less energy. However, may not be as efficient.

o   Rain gardens should not need regular irrigation

o   Native plants require less irrigation than turf grass

Rainwater harvesting

Truck washing
  • Pretreatment requirements: oil water separator
  • Disinfection requirements (health and well-being of employees)
  • Consider dual connection – potable and stormwater
  • Truck washing should be enclosed so that truck washwater can be captured

Sediment and erosion control

  •  Sediment and Erosion Control  You do not need to go into detail regarding this permit, but you should be aware of it and discuss it with your Geotech specialist. If a maintenance program is required for all permanent SESC measures, then you are to include this in your report.

General comments

  • Consider research similar projects for additional proof of concept
  • For final presentation and report, make sure that your site map highlights environmental components of the design.

 Erosion along the new pathway between Hagadorn and Park Lake Roads

(photos taken 3/9/2024)






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