GERMAN DWA

RULES AND STANDARDS

Standard
DWA-A 117E

Dimensioning of Stormwater Holding

Facilities

2005 (English version in preparation)

- ABSTRACT -

Publisher/Marketing:
DWA German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste
Theodor-Heuss-Allee 17 • D-53773 Hennef
Tel. +49-22 42 / 8 72-120 • Fax:+49 22 42 / 8 72-100
E-Mail: vertrieb@dwa.de • Internet: www.dwa.de
DWA-A 117E

The German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste, DWA, is the spokesman in Germany for all
universal questions on water and is involved intensively in the development of secure and sustainable wa-
ter management. As politically and economically independent organisation it operates specifically in the ar-
eas of water management, wastewater, waste and soil protection.

In Europe the DWA is the association in this field with the greatest number of members and, due to its spe-
cialist competence it holds a special position with regard to standardisation, professional training and infor-
mation of the public. The ca. 14,000 members represent the experts and executive personnel from munici-
palities, universities, engineer offices, authorities and businesses.

The emphasis of its activities is on the elaboration and updating of a common set of technical rules and
standards and with collaboration with the creation of technical standard specifications at the national and in-
ternational levels. To this belong not only the technical-scientific subjects but also economical and legal
demands of environmental protection and protection of bodies of waters.

Imprint

Publisher/Marketing: Printing (German original):

DWA, German Association for

Water, Wastewater and Waste:
Theodor-Heuss-Allee 17
D-53773 Hennef
Tel.: +49 (0) 2242/872-120
Fax: +49 (0) 2242/872-100
E-mail: vertrieb@dwa.de
Internet: www.dwa.de Printed on 100 % recycling paper

© DWA Deutsche Vereinigung für Wasserwirtschaft, Abwasser und Abfall e.V., Hennef 2005

All rights, in particular those of translation into other languages, are reserved. No part of this Standard may be repro-
duced in any form - by photocopy, microfilm or any other process - or transferred into a language usable in machines,
in particular data processing machines, without the written approval of the publisher.

The scientific correctness of the texts, diagrams and tables does not lie within the responsibility of the publisher.

2 2005 (in preparation)

 DWA-A 117E

Foreword
In water management it is generally acknowledged that runoffs caused by precipitation are to be avoided or
reduced as far as possible already at the point or in the immediate vicinity of their production. If this is not
possible temporary storage (holding) of stormwater and combined wastewater in stormwater holding facili-
ties becomes necessary in many cases in order to protect the discharge systems from overloading or to
limit their dimensions.

In view of the investments which are necessary for the construction of runoff systems and holding facilities,
a conception and dimensioning of holding facilities designed from economic aspects has great significance.
With this not only holding tanks alone for retention but also large-volume sewer and surface water
stretches, in line with the development objective for the surface waters, should be taken into consideration
as holding facilities.

The dimensioning, design and operation of holding tanks have, up until now, been regulated by Standard
ATV-A 117E from 1977. Through the rearrangement of the Set of Rules and Standards the aspects of the
design and equipping are covered in Standard ATV-A 166 [Not available in English] „Bauwerke der zen-
tralen Regenwasserbehandlung und Rückhaltung“ [Structures for Centralised Stormwater Treatment and
Retention], the operational aspects in Standard ATV-DVWK-A 156] [Not available in English] „Regeln für
den Kanalbetrieb, Regenbecken und -entlastungen“ [Rules for Sewer Operation, Stormwater Tanks and
Stormwater Overflows].

In 2001 the Standard ATV-DVWK-A 117 was republished and from this time regulated exclusively the di-
mensioning and the verification of stormwater holding facilities. For this, methods were introduced which
correspond with today’s know-ledge and replace the dimensioning recommendations of the old Standard
from 1977. In that Standard no standards with regard to dimensioning frequency and requirements on the
protection of surface waters were defined. These result from the relevant Standards which are referred to in
Chapter 1.

The new methods take into account the fact that, from the superior water management aspect, ever more
frequently a heavy throttling of area runoffs is demanded. For small throttle discharge rates, according to
the methods of the old ATV-A 117E (1977), as a rule under-dimensioning resulted (ATV WG 1.2.9, 1998).

In 2004 there was an editorial revision in particular with regard to the adjustment of the symbols to the re-
quirements of Standard ATV-DVWK-A 198E, “Standardisation and Derivation of Dimensioning Values for
Wastewater Facilities”.

The methods recommended in this Standard as a rule require an increased expense in comparison with the
previous procedures with the determination and procurement of the basic elements of calculation. So far as
the dimensioning is not possible in accordance with the simple method described in the Standard and the
verification process is to be applied using long-term simulation, increased costs for the procurement of pre-
cipitation data and for calculation occur in the planning phase. The application of the verification process
requires the expertise of an experienced specialist. The higher requirements and costs in the planning
phase are considered as necessary so that the dimensioning of holding facilities better satisfies the actual
requirements than the previous dimensioning method. With this, for the operator, equally the risk of incalcu-
lable damage as a result of under-dimensioning as well as expensive over-dimensioning is reduced. These
risks are generally, from a cost aspect, estimated as being higher than the additional planning expense.

2005 (in preparation) 3

DWA-A 117E

Contents
Foreword ................................................................................................................................................... 3

Authors ...................................................................................................................................................

User Notes ................................................................................................................................................

1 Area of Application ................................................................................................................. 5

2 Definitions..................................................................................................................

2.1 General Terms ............................................................................................................

2.2 Surfaces ......................................................................................................................
2.3 Precipitation ................................................................................................................
2.4 Runoff..........................................................................................................................
2.5 Runoff Simulation........................................................................................................
2.6 Volume ........................................................................................................................
2.7 Abbreviations (Symbols) .............................................................................................

3 Conception ................................................................................................................

4 Determination of the Volume of Stormwater Holding Facilities...........................

4.1 Methods ......................................................................................................................
4.2 Basic Elements of Calculation ....................................................................................
4.3 Calculation Specifications ...........................................................................................
4.4 Simple Method ............................................................................................................ English
4.4.1 General ....................................................................................................................... version in
preparation
4.4.2 Area of Application ......................................................................................................
4.4.3 Procedure....................................................................................................................
4.5 Long-term Simulation ..................................................................................................
4.5.1 General .......................................................................................................................
4.5.2 Technical Modelling Requirements.............................................................................

4.5.3 Results of Long-term Simulation.................................................................................

Appendix 1 Surcharge factor fS (comp. Table 2) .......................................................................

Appendix 2 Reduction factor fR (comp. Fig. 3) ..........................................................................

Application of the simple method for SHT 1 ...............................................................................
Application of the simple method for SHT 5 ...............................................................................
Application of the simple method for SHT 4 ...............................................................................

Results of the verification method ..............................................................................................

Appendix 4 Application of the simple method for an upstream tank

with combined sewer overflow .............................................................................................

Literature………………………………………………………………………………………………

4 2005 (in preparation)


1 Area of Application
Standard ATV-DVWK-A 117E “Dimensioning of
Stormwater Holding Facilities” is applicable in the
area of the complete wastewater discharge be-
tween the property drain system and the surface
water.
The application of the methods in accordance with
ATV-DVWK-A 117E can basically also take place
within the area of the drain system or surface wa-
ter, provided that the applicable standard specifica-
tions in the area of private property drainage, DIN
1986 “Site drainage systems”, or in the area of sur-
face waters, DIN 19700 Parts 10-12 “Dam plants”
are not infringed.
The area of application within the ATV-DVWK-Set
of Rules and Standards is shown in the flow dia-
gram (see Fig. 1).
The Standard presented here is applicable for indi-
vidual stormwater holding facilities and complex
stormwater holding systems as well as in both
separate and combined systems.
Existing stormwater holding facilities conceived ac-
cording to other dimensioning methods should only
be redimensioned in accordance with this Stan-
DWA-A 117E
dard if there is information (considerations, obser-
vations, series of measurements etc.), that over-
loading leads to an unjustifiable risk of damage or
if significant changes are carried out within the
catchment area. For this, in each case, the original
input data is to be checked.
Standard ATV-A 128E is to be applied for the di-
mensioning of combined sewer overflow facilities in
combined systems. The dimensioning of central
facilities for stormwater percolation is regulated in
Standard DWA-A 138E. Information is provided by
the ATV Working Group 1.2.4. Report „Ab-
flusssteuerung“ [Control of runoff] [not available in
English].
Standards with regard to frequency of dimension-
ing can be taken from EN 752 and ATV-A 118E.
Advisory leaflet ATV-DVWK-M 153 [currently not
available in English] can be enlisted for require-
ments on water pollution control.
Guidelines and recommendations for the construc-
tion, structural design and equipping of holding fa-
cilities are to be taken from Standards ATV-A 166
and DWA-A 138E as well as Advisory Leaflet ATV-
DVWK-M 176. Information and guidelines for the
operation of holding facilities as part of a sewer
system are contained in Standard ATV-
DVWK-A 156.
2005 (in preparation) 5
DWA-A 117E

Fig. 1: Position of Standard A 117E within the DWA Set of Rules and Standards

6 2005 (in preparation)