Water resources across the UK are facing increasing pressure from population growth, changing rainfall patterns and periods of drought. As a result, water reuse is becoming an increasingly important part of sustainable water management. Water reuse involves collecting and treating water from various sources so it can be used again for practical purposes. These sources […]
Since publishing my last paper at the end of 2024, research on the impact of 6PPD and its derivative, 6PPD-quinone (6PPD-q), on fish, mammalian, and human health has made considerable progress. As a brief overview, 6PPD is a common tyre additive and is therefore released into highway water runoff in environmentally significant concentrations. 6PPD is […]
Stormwater treatment involves removing pollutants from stormwater runoff using various techniques to improve water quality before it flows into receiving water bodies or is even reused for other purposes. Why is stormwater treatment needed? Climate change is changing the natural hydrological system with more frequent and intense rainfall predicted for the UK. Couple this with […]
The Hidden Sources of Pollution in Our Stormwater Systems When road pollution is discussed, attention usually focuses on vehicle emissions, tyre wear particles, brake dust and fuel leaks. While these are undoubtedly significant sources of contamination, they are not the only pollutants entering our rivers, lakes and oceans through stormwater runoff. The roads themselves, and […]
Understanding PAHs in Stormwater Runoff Stormwater runoff is a significant pathway for pollutant transport into receiving water bodies. Among these pollutants, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a main concern in stormwater treatment, due to their persistence and toxicity in our environments. Particle Size Distribution (PSD) aids in determining how PAHs behave- in terms of their […]
What are Total Suspended Solids? In stormwater runoff, Total Suspended Solids (TSS) refers to undissolved solid particles larger than 0.45µm. Anything smaller is considered a dissolved substance. Pollutants can bind to or become trapped within these solid particles, making TSS a highly effective contaminant transport mechanism from surface road runoff into receiving water bodies. In […]
Stormwater management involves managing both the quantity and quality of surface runoff. An appreciation of a site’s Particle Size Distribution (PSD) is crucial for effective stormwater quality management. The PSD influences sediment transport, settling rates and determines the effectiveness of treatment systems in terms of capturing, retaining and so permanently removing contaminants found in stormwater […]
Tyre wear particles (TWPs) are now recognised as a significant and largely unmanaged source of chemical contamination in urban stormwater. Among the most important tyre-derived chemicals are the vulcanisation accelerators mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) and diphenylguanidine (DPG), which are used globally to produce durable, heat-resistant rubber. While essential to tyre performance, increasing evidence shows these additives pose […]
The new SuDS standards in England were published by the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on the 19th of June 2025. They are a welcome step in improving the management of surface water drainage and the pollution from water run-off in England. These non-statutory standards for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) are for […]
Both UK and International Stormwater Manufactured Treatment Devices are often certified under New Jersey’s stormwater treatment protocols and best practices, but who are NJDEP and NJCAT and what do they do? As the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) certification program for stormwater Manufactured Treatment Devices (MTDs) has evolved over the years, one issue […]
