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“Gutter bins” filtering debris from Colorado Springs storm water

Posted at 5:56 PM, Jun 18, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-18 20:27:13-04

COLORADO SPRINGS – A new kind of filter device is getting a try in Colorado Springs. “Gutter bins”, have been installed under three downtown storm-drain grates to see how they work.

The gutter bins look similar to a windsock. Placed under a grate, water and anything in it is directed down the gutter bin. The water goes through, most everything else, including fine sediment is captured. “Essentially a filter system for our storm water inlets,” said Colorado Springs, Storm Water Specialist, Jerry Cordova, “So they are improving water quality.” Water from storm drains goes to nearby creeks and then downstream.

The filters can be pulled in just minutes to empty debris. In just the first month they are collecting a lot of gunk. “We’ve seen a lot of cigarette butts. Probably one of the number one pollutant items we find downtown,” said Cordova, “Also a lot of styrofoam, other plastics, wrappers, bags, it’s pretty amazing.” Data from other cities shows one filter averages more than 200 pounds of debris a year.

Results in Colorado Springs are being analyzed.  “We’ll see how that goes,” said Cordova, “The effect of what we’re able to collect and capture and the idea is, we could roll it out to a much larger picture.”