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HI my name is Stephanie and my name is Breanne. Today we are going to be talking about
Oil and Grit separators
How they work, why they are important and what you need to know if you have one on your property.
Storm water is run off which collects in storm drains and flows directly into the nearest natural waterway without treatment.
An oil and grit separator is a device connected to your storm sewer
which prevents undesirable solids and liquids from entering our streams, rivers and lakes
How do separators work?
Oil and grit separators allow large particles to settle to the bottom of the device
while oily substances rise to the top and are captured.
Many businesses owners are not aware that there is an oil and grit interceptor connected to their property.
These devices usually exist on properties used for commercial, industrial and multi-family dwellings.
These devices need to be inspected and maintained in order to ensure they are functioning properly.
Why are separators important?
Oil and grit separators are important because they prevent toxics from entering the environment through storm water.
These toxics include,
hydrocarbons from oil, fuel and tire wear
as well as heavy metals from tire wear, brake wear and the breakdown of asphalt and roofing materials.
What you should do.
In order to function properly these devices must be maintained through inspections and cleaning.
Inspections should be performed annually
but cleaning frequency may range dependent on site specific conditions.
If an oil and grit separator is not maintained, this will result in incomplete treatment of your storm water runoff.
Storm sewers drain into bodies of water that eventually become our drinking water.
this means that when your oil and grit separator is not functioning properly, toxics are allowed to make their way into our drinking water sources.
Therefore, maintaining the proper functioning of your device can help ensure the safety of our drinking water.
The surrounding ecosystem will also be affected by the polluted waters.
In Conclusion,
Oil and grit separators capture toxics and prevent them from entering the storm sewer system.
If these devices fail to function properly you may be in violation of a City By-law
and toxics will enter the natural waterways causing damage to the local ecosystems.
By following these best practices, together we can help protect the environment!