catch of the day. Jeff McInnis demonstrates the use of his Catch All product at the intersection of North 26th and Proctor streets. (Photo Courtesy of Northwest Maintenance Management)
A local engineer has started a new business and invented a product aimed at keeping stormwater systems functioning properly.
Jeff McInnis and his business partners started Petra Engineering four years ago. It operated in an office on Thea Foss Waterway. The office moved to Proctor District in November. A few months ago he started Northwest Maintenance Management.
McInnis graduated from college in 1992 with an engineering degree. A native of Olympia, he ended up in Tacoma because his wife grew up here.
He worked for two local firms before going into business for himself. He started Northwest Maintenance Management because he saw a need for property owners to learn about their responsibility to manage their stormwater systems.
Local governments manage the system in the public right of way, but owners of commercial properties and other property that has parking lots, such as churches, are responsible for maintaining their systems.
“I do not think they know they have that responsibility,” McInnis remarked. “Many are surprised they had to do anything.”
His company maps, inspects and cleans systems. He recommends monthly inspections and annual cleanings.
“It can be difficult to do if you are not an engineer,” McInnis said.
The biggest culprit is silt and sand that wash off of pavement. This drastically reduces the functioning of a system. Many are neglected for decades until the problem demands attention.
“Catch basins get full of it and they are expensive to clean,” McInnis observed.
It can cost up to $200 an hour to bring in a vector truck and crew that performs this service. His company will clean them on a more frequent basis for much less.
Property owners can be subjected to fines, which he noted many people are unaware of. He has encountered a number of people who recently have received letters from the city of Tacoma or Pierce County notifying them they are out of compliance with local regulations.
McInnis has been granted a patent for his new product, Catch All. They are placed on the bottom of catch basins. On each end are ropes, which serve as handles. A property owner can lift them out on a regular basis and clear off the debris that has been gathered.
He spent two years developing the product, which is made from polypropylene. It has a puncture strength of 60 pounds and a tensile strength of 200 pounds. His daughter sewed the prototype. McInnis now has a company in Spokane manufacturing them. The state Department of Ecology has granted its official approval for their use.
In addition to making money, McInnis is driven by a desire to protect water quality in Puget Sound.
“We have a nice area here. I want to keep it that way.”
Northwest Maintenance Management is located at 2602 N. Proctor St. For more information call (253) 572-0989.
