April 14, 2026
How Online Stormwater Design Tools Are Transforming Engineering Workflows
Why Oldcastle Infrastructure’s Stormwater Design Assist Tool is Becoming an Essential Resource for Civil & Water Resource Engineers
As infrastructure demands grow and project timelines shrink, engineers are increasingly turning to online tools that can streamline design coordination, reduce rework, and accelerate approvals. In stormwater management where site constraints, regulatory complexities, and hydraulic variables all intersect, the need for reliable, automated design support has never been greater.
Oldcastle Infrastructure’s Stormwater Online Design Tool was built to meet that need. Available online 24/7 and free to use, it is rapidly becoming a go-to resource for engineers looking to size, configure, and document stormwater systems with speed and confidence.
In this article, we explore why digital stormwater design tools matter, how it works, and what advantages engineers gain from integrating the tool into their daily workflows.
The Growing Need for Online Tools in Stormwater Management
Civil and stormwater engineers face mounting challenges:
- Tighter permitting & pricing cycles
- More stringent water quality requirements
- Increased urban density and shrinking site envelopes
- Complex green infrastructure needs
- A broader range of treatment technologies to consider
Traditional design approaches, which often rely on spreadsheets, repeated CAD iterations, or back-and-forth with product manufacturers, can slow down the design phase and increase the chance of error.
Online design tools provide a powerful advantage: they deliver immediate answers and reduce assumptions, directly coordinating design with manufacturer and product requirements.
Introducing Stormwater Design Assist: A Faster, Smarter Way to Design
Our Online Design Tool helps engineers move from initial project criteria to a conceptual, engineer ready design package in minutes.
Key features include:
- Real-time sizing and configuration: The tool automatically sizes hydrodynamic separators, cartridge filtration systems, biofiltration units, and underground detention layouts based on your input conditions.
- A modern 3D user interface: Easily visualize systems from every angle, adjust pipe locations, rotate units, and modify layouts without starting over.
- Built-in regulatory intelligence: From NJCAT / NJDEP approvals to regional performance standards, the tool guides users toward compliant designs.
- Plan-ready outputs: Each design automatically generates:
- CAD (DWG) drawings
- PDF concept drawings
- Product specific details
- Operation & Maintenance (O&M) Manuals
- 24/7 availability, no wait times: Run the design you need, even after hours, without waiting for a representative.
A Closer Look: What Engineers Can Design in Minutes
Hydrodynamic Separation (Hydro-Shield® Advance)
Engineers can size units based on:
- Water quality flow
- Peak flow
- Rim elevation
- Invert elevations
- Pipe diameter, material & angle
The system automatically determines:
- Internal vs. external bypass needs
- Model options that meet treatment requirements
- Sump depth and vault configuration
Up to ~40° pipe configuration allows flexibility for site layout.
Cartridge Filtration (PerkFilter®)
For flow- or volume-based design, the tool calculates:
- Required cartridge count
- Cartridge height options
- Vault size
- Hydraulic performance
Design alerts inform the user if invert drops or vault dimensions fall outside best practice standards or system performance configuration requirements.
Biofiltration (BioPod®)
The tool supports all BioPod styles:
- Tree
- Planter
- Surface
- Underground
Users can evaluate bypass options, examine 3D views, and validate hydraulic loading before downloading a design-ready package.
Underground Detention (StormCapture®)
This portion of the platform is one of the most powerful.
Engineers can:
- Enter volume targets and site footprint
- Auto-generate optimized rows & columns
- Account for loading and seismic requirements
- Add pipes, weirs, manholes, and access risers
- Upload a to scale site plan for perfect alignment
- Configure internal openings and module link slabs
It’s the closest thing to full system drafting, done in just minutes.
Why Stormwater Design Assist Is Becoming an Industry Standard
- Significant Time Savings: Engineers report moving from hours of manual iteration and repeated coordination e-mails to minutes with automated sizing, internal QA checks, and instant outputs.
- Higher Design Confidence: Internal checks reduce risk, ensuring:
- Compliant flow ranges
- Proper hydraulic loading
- Minimum cover
- Valid invert drops
- Appropriate bypass conditions
- More Accurate System Design: Design packages are uniform, complete, and immediately usable in plan sets, reducing back-and-forth during review.
- Reduced Drafting Workload: Concept drawings come prebuilt, allowing engineering teams to stay on schedule even when drafting resources are stretched or timelines are squeezed.
When to Use the Tool in Your Workflow
Our Online Design Tool is most effective during:
- Conceptual design
- Preliminary engineering
- Value engineering
- Alternative evaluation
- Specification development
- When permitting deadlines are tight
It helps engineers confirm feasibility early, before committing significant CAD time or redesigning around site constraints.
What Happens After You Submit Your Design
Your conceptual package gives you a 70-80% complete solution. From there, an Oldcastle representative will follow up to:
- Answer design questions
- Discuss regulatory considerations
- Confirm manufacturability
- Assist with final design adjustments
If your project has unique conditions, the engineering team can also help develop a custom solution.
Digital Stormwater Design Isn’t the Future; It’s the Now
The rise of online design tools has reshaped how engineers approach stormwater design, and Oldcastle Infrastructure’s Online Design Tool is setting the pace. With real-time results, regulatory intelligence, and construction-ready outputs, engineers can now deliver faster, smarter, and more accurate stormwater solutions than ever before.
Whether you are designing hydrodynamic separators, filtration systems, biofiltration units, or underground detention, the platform transforms complex engineering tasks into a streamlined digital workflow.
Ready to Try It?
Explore our Online Design Tool today and see how quickly you can move from site inputs to a complete stormwater design package.
