SPEL Stormwater Products on NSW Projects: Choosing a Device

One supplier, four very different jobs

SPEL Stormwater is a familiar name on NSW civil drawings, with a product range that covers everything from a simple pit basket to a full-retention fuel spill separator. The devices are not interchangeable — each solves a different problem in the treatment train. As an independent consultancy we specify devices from a number of suppliers on merit; this guide summarises SPEL’s main products, based on the manufacturer’s published information, and where each genuinely fits.

Stormsack: at-source gross pollutant capture

The Stormsack is a filter bag insert that sits under the grate of a stormwater pit, capturing litter, leaves and coarse sediment as runoff enters the system, with bag options that also target oil and grease. Standard sizes suit common pit dimensions (450×450 mm up to 900×900 mm and beyond), and it can be retrofitted into existing pits.

• Role in the train: primary treatment
• Best suited to: duplexes, townhouses, small commercial sites; protecting downstream devices
• Won’t do: dissolved nutrient (TN/TP) removal — a tertiary measure is still needed where nutrient targets apply

Ecoceptor and Vortceptor: in-line GPTs

For larger catchments, SPEL’s in-line gross pollutant traps — the Ecoceptor and the vortex-action Vortceptor — capture litter and coarse sediment from the whole upstream network at a single underground structure. These suit subdivisions, car parks and commercial estates where servicing one device beats servicing dozens of pit baskets.

Stormceptor: hydrodynamic vault separation

The SPEL Stormceptor Class 1 is a horizontal two-chamber separator with a coalescer unit. Flow slows in the first chamber so sediment settles; the coalescer then promotes separation of fine oil droplets and suspended solids in quiescent conditions in the second chamber. It targets sediment, suspended solids and hydrocarbons and is positioned as a secondary treatment device.

• Best suited to: car parks, hardstands and trafficked catchments with sediment and oil loads
• Won’t do: dissolved nutrients — pair with bioretention or cartridge filtration where TN/TP targets apply

Puraceptor: full-retention spill protection

The Puraceptor Class 1 is a different animal: a full-retention separator that treats 100% of the design flow and is fitted with an automatic closure device that shuts the unit down when captured oil reaches its spill capacity — containing a major spill rather than letting it escape downstream. It is designed and tested against the EN 858-1 Class 1 criterion (effluent hydrocarbon concentration not exceeding 5 mg/L).

• Best suited to: high-risk land uses — service stations, fuel storage and handling, vehicle maintenance yards, depots
• Note: Puraceptors are usually specified for environmental risk and trade waste reasons rather than WSUD pollutant load targets

SPEL Filter: cartridge tertiary treatment

The SPEL Filter is a cartridge media filtration system using an upflow process — water is driven up through the filter media under hydraulic head, with a self-regulating siphon and a backwash action after each storm. It received SQIDEP verification in December 2022, with verified performance figures of approximately 85% TSS, 74% TP and 59% TN removal at the tested configuration. This is SPEL’s answer for tight sites where bioretention won’t fit and nutrient targets must still be met.

Choosing the right device: a quick logic

• Need litter/coarse sediment capture only? Stormsack (small sites) or Ecoceptor/Vortceptor (large catchments)
• Sediment plus hydrocarbons from pavements? Stormceptor, with GPT pre-treatment as needed
• Fuel or oil spill risk? Puraceptor on the high-risk catchment
• Nutrient targets on a tight site? SPEL Filter (or equivalent cartridge systems), usually with a Stormsack upstream

Two caveats apply to every selection. First, council acceptance of proprietary devices varies across NSW — some councils require SQIDEP verification, some prescribe their own MUSIC parameters, and some prefer vegetated systems wherever feasible. Second, the MUSIC model, the hydraulic design and the maintenance plan must reflect the actual device configuration, not a generic assumption. Equivalent products from other suppliers (such as Ocean Protect’s OceanGuard and StormFilter) should be considered alongside SPEL options — competitive selection generally serves the project best.

Contrive Consultants designs WSUD systems and prepares MUSIC and DRAINS models accepted by NSW councils, with independent device selection across all major suppliers. Review our services, call +61 497 848 111, email info@contriveconsultants.com.au or contact us to get the right device for your site.