Municipal Solutions

 Municipalities are facing a wide range of water resource management challenges. The combinations of aging infrastructure with the effects of climate change have created a newfound difficulty in effective resource planning.

 

Infiltration

On one hand, excessive first-flush stormwater runoff can burden existing gray infrastructure, leading to high maintenance costs, contaminant transfer, and the risk of Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs). On the other hand, increasing water scarcity has led to the exploitation of groundwater resources, which over time has resulted in groundwater drawdown, land subsidence, and in coastal areas, saltwater intrusion.

Soil Moisture

Parjana Engineering’s innovative IRIS system is custom designed to achieve the solutions needed in any municipality.IRIS system addresses urban runoff by enhancing the infiltration of surface water into the ground, reducing the amount of runoff that flows into storm drains, sewers, and waterways.. Additionally, an IRIS-based solution increases infiltration from the surface to the soil profile, and then downward to replenish aquifer formations by more than 9 times base amounts in some sites.

Municipal Projects

Belle Isle Park, Detroit, Michigan

This 982 acres island park has had problems with standing water in multiple areas thereby reducing the usability of those areas. In a preliminary investigative site, 24 acres were utilized to install a custom designed IRIS system, as well as, monitor the site before and after the installation. A control site was also monitored for the same period. Over the course of the monitoring, it was found that IRIS system reduced the amount of runoff at the site by 80% thereby reducing the amount of water needing to be treated by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. Not only was the stormwater runoff reduction a benefit to the City, but there was also no longer a standing water problem at the site which also reopened it to use by park visitors.

Recharge Facility, Leaky Acres, Fresno, California

Leaky Acres is a groundwater recharge facility located in the Central San Joaquin Valley of California that exists to recharge the aquifer, helping to restore and sustain depleted groundwater supplies for the City of Fresno. Fresno is the fifth largest city in California, with a population of over 531,000 people. In a partnership with The Water Group, Parjana was hired to increase groundwater recharge in a desilting basin in California. After IRIS installation, infiltration increased by 9.57x the baseline amount. The site continues to be monitored for continued data and results on groundwater recharge.

Mettetal Airport, Canton, Michigan

A Midwestern airport sought to improve an existing stormwater detention system that was not draining as designed. An engineering firm consulted with Parjana to develop a system that would eliminate standing water from the forebay more rapidly following heavy or multiple rain events, despite the sub-grade soil conditions on site. Parjana developed and implemented an IRIS-based solution that effectively restored the utility of the airport’s existing drainage system, eliminating standing water and reducing the likelihood of monetary losses and safety hazards from potential bird strikes with aircraft.

Warnerville Rd, Oakdale, California

This site in Stanislaus County, California, was experiencing flooding near the edge of the road, posing a huge safety hazard to drivers. Standing water would accumulate there following most rain events above 0.3” and remain standing for 8-10 weeks, even leading to the accumulation of algae. With IRIS, infiltration has increased considerably, and the road is no longer unsafe due to standing water. Pictured Above: on 10/03/18, a 1.25” rain event was recorded at a nearby weather station. Water infiltrated under 48 hrs.

On the inside shoulder of the road… standing water would cause an ongoing traffic hazard for a week or more. This location has not experienced this traffic hazard since the installation of the Parjana system in 2017. The Project was a cost-effective and efficient solution.

David A. Leamon, P.E., M.P.A., Public Works Director

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Kern County, CA

Find out how Parjana Engineering is helping Kern County meet SGMA requirements

Tulare Subbasin, CA

Find out how Parjana Engineering can help meet SGMA requirements

Learn more about Parjana's projects and applications in our Knowledge Center