Southwestern Vermont Medical Center Stormwater Retrofits

Bennington, VT

At a Glance
  • Project Dates: 2021
  • Services: Site Civil, Survey, Regulatory Assistance
  • Markets: Health Care
  • State: Vermont
  • Permitting
    • VT General Stormwater Discharge Permit
    • VT Construction General Permit
    • VT Act 250 Land-Use Permit
    • VT Wastewater Disposal & Potable Water Supply Permit

Challenge

For the better part of a decade, MSK has provided SVMC''s Bennington campus with site development services for various hospital improvements, allowing our technical staff to respond quickly to proposed projects that the hospital undertakes and advances.

In 2021, the Center planned a new central heating building and parking area serving SVMC's main campus and needed to develop the building's circulation scheme, utility connections, and drainage plan. The new boiler building was to be built within a highly developed area of the hospital campus backing up against a wooded stream valley. The client needed site development and stormwater solutions that worked in a constrained space and met regulatory requirements for stormwater management.

Solution

Our survey team conducted an initial review and analysis of existing conditions, modeling the current pathway and culvert to support stormwater planning. To address permitting, our team reviewed the state's Stormwater Management rules and confirmed the site could be re-permitted using existing treatment practices with minor modifications. Stormwater treatment upgrades were also designed to meet 9050 permitting standards for changes to both previously permitted and newly added impervious areas.

We designed an access drive for the partial-biomass boiler building, including parking, a fuel delivery and storage site, walkways, and vegetative screening. The building was connected to hospital utilities, and stormwater from nearly 2 acres of surface was managed by rehabilitating an existing detention basin and adding a grass swale. These improvements help treat runoff, control erosion, and reduce sediment and pollutants entering a nearby tributary of the Walloomsac River.

Results

We continue to manage and complete required compliance items for permit annual inspection reporting as required by the State of Vermont, including annual stormwater inspection and recertification for existing stormwater permit 3258-9050.