Layout and Design

A stormwater collection system (also referred to as storm sewage) is a network of inlets, and pipes that are laid along the street, etc. The usual location of the sewers is near the kerb/edge of the pavement - it allows connecting the inlet boxes with fewer manholes and using less pipe lengths. Drains carrying stormwater are laid to produce gravity flow to the designed water body, or a storage facility or as in some instances to a special treatment unit. Installation of a pumping facility is, in the first instance, avoided due to a very large peak flow capacity required to deal with maximum stormwater flow.

Storm sewers are generally made of circular reinforced concrete pipes. Sometimes elliptical sections are used when the depth of pipe (from the ground) is very shallow, in order to achieve ease for covering the pipe with soil over the minor axis of the pipe. Other material for storm pipes can also be used, such as, corrugated metal pipes.