SQIDEP is a framework established by Stormwater Australia – providing an industry-formulated, independent evaluation process for verifying the performance of devices and technologies for improving stormwater quality.

The USA stormwater protocols are well-regarded within the industry, and SQIDEP looks to build on these to suit local stormwater testing practices with increased provisions for independent third-party review. To reflect this, SQIDEP incorporates independence and data handling processes through every step of the SQIDEP assessment.

With SQIDEP a manufacturer may set up the test site – but essentially hands it over to an independent organisation responsible for collecting the samples, and sending them to an independent lab.

These ‘raw’ lab results are collated by the independent consultant and submitted to 2 independent evaluators. These evaluators submit their own separate evaluations, before comparing reviews and working through any differences or discrepancies in data. The monitoring is on real-world sites, real events, real hydrographs, real sediments, and real pollutants – not arbitrarily chosen concentrations, manufactured sediments, plug-flows, or weighted, statistical “bootstrap” calculations.

Suppliers are prevented from handling samples or submitting their own datasets – and this third-party assessment & handling ensures the foundation of independence is not undermined.