Wastewater Treatment/Disposal Design and Permitting

All land development projects need a long-term permanent solution for the treatment and management of sanitary or industrial wastewater. The solution for any given project depends on a wide range of factors. Is a public or privately owned sewer system available at the street, or is the project located beyond the urban centers where these facilities are typically located? How much sewage will be generated? Is the local stream system designated as an exceptional value or high quality watershed? Does the local municipality have an up to date sewage facilities plan? The list of questions that must be answered and considered is daunting, and it is not uncommon to find that managing sewage is the most challenging aspect of a land development project. By design, Brickhouse Environmental is at the forefront of Sewage Facilities Planning, Design, and Permitting. Our in-house staff of Soil Scientists, Geologists, Hydrogeologists, and Civil Engineers love the challenge.

Aquifer Testing and Groundwater Modeling

Many land development regulations, ordinances and policies at all levels of government focus on a project’s potential impact on water resources. Compliance with these rules typically requires hydrogeologic studies. Brickhouse Environmental’s staff has decades of experience interpreting the requirements of water resource regulations and finding solutions that allow land development to work within this complex regulatory environment. Our scientists have expertise in planning and conducting hydrogeologic studies designed to define existing groundwater and surface conditions so that proposed land development can understand, respect, and make use of those resources. Typical assignments involve assessing the water resource rules that apply to a particular development, and then planning and conducting subsurface investigations needed to support the project. Investigations may include; Water balance studies and groundwater impact assessment, Nitrate Mass Balance Assessment, Groundwater Modeling, Aquifer Pump Testing and Assessment, and Groundwater Supply Investigations.

Stormwater Management Design and Permitting

Stormwater runoff from land development is often cited as the cause of many environmental problems including droughts, flooding, erosion, and general stream degradation. As a result, the expanded regulation of stormwater runoff may be the most extensive new regulatory initiatives of the new millennium. Brickhouse Environmental’s background in both surface water and groundwater science has left us uniquely positioned to provide consulting services in this area. We realize that both sciences are like opposite sides of the same coin. Surface waters cannot be understood without understanding its relationship to groundwater, and groundwater cannot be understood without understanding its relationship to surface water. Brickhouse Environmental has a proven track record in working with industry and local government on stormwater issues including stormwater permitting and sampling, stormwater pollution prevention/control plan preparation, development and design of practical stormwater best management practices (BMPs), stormwater modeling, regulatory agency negotiation and stormwater pollution prevention training.

Infiltration and Permeability Testing

Infiltration Best Management Practices (BMPs) treat a portion of stormwater runoff volume by infiltrating a portion of the runoff into the soil. Common infiltration practices include basins, trenches, rain gardens, and porous pavement.  Brickhouse Environmental conducts subsurface investigations to determine depth to bedrock and seasonal high water table, soil permeability, and aquifer transmissivity; all of which can affect the development and management of infiltration BMPs. Our services include analyses tailored to the requirements of specific local jurisdictions, as well as supporting efforts to obtain and comply with local, state and federal permits. The PA Stormwater BMP Manual states that soil evaluations should be conducted by “qualified professionals who can substantiate by qualifications/experience their ability to carry out the evaluation. A professional, experienced in observing and evaluating soils conditions is necessary to ascertain conditions that might affect BMP performance, which cannot be thoroughly assessed with the testing procedures.”  Brickhouse Environmental has a staff of professionals in soil science and geology trained and experienced in site testing for stormwater management.

Wetlands Delineation and Construction
 

Wetlands are areas of land that are saturated frequently and long enough to support vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soils. Wetlands are regulated by federal law, and many land development ordinances and zoning rules make specific reference to the delineation and protection of regulated wetlands. Brickhouse Environmental uses a team approach for wetlands projects since the technical definition of a wetland requires an evaluation of the soils, the plant life, and the hydrology of the wetland area. Our in house staff has the expertise necessary to evaluate all three of these conditions to effectively provide our clients with complete wetland services, from the initial delineation of the wetland area, through impact assessment and permitting, to actual project design and construction of wetland mitigation areas. Brickhouse Environmental’s experience in wetland projects includes wetland delineation, jurisdiction determinations, and wetland disturbance and mitigation.

Bog Turtle Habitat Survey and Impact Studies
 

The primary reason for the bog turtle's status as an endangered species is the draining or other destruction of its habitat. Because bog turtles have always been considered the rarest of North American turtles, they are considered highly valued by the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources. The Fish and Boat Commission, through the Nongame and Endangered Species Unit, reviews hundreds of proposed development projects each year. The project areas are screened for the presence of bog turtles using the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory (PNDI) database and file information. Potential conflicts will require field surveys and further study of the planned development site. Brickhouse Environmental’s field biologists have performed numerous Phase I Bog Turtle Habitat Surveys for land development clients. 

Geotechnical Investigations
 

Brickhouse Environmental provides a broad range of geotechnical engineering services. Our engineers and geologists are experienced in evaluating general and site-specific data to determine the most cost effective means to investigate foundations, structures and slopes. Brickhouse Environmental provides construction supervision, quality assurance inspection and certification services. We are currently providing installation and monitoring of geotechnical instrumentation for the entire Cherry Island Landfill Expansion.