Silt Fence & Inlet Protection in Philadelphia, PA

Silt fence and inlet protection in Philadelphia show up on almost every job that moves dirt, from a large subdivision to a rowhouse rebuild with a dug-out back yard; they are the basic sediment control measures. Their job is simple: let water pass and keep soil behind. We are silt fence contractors for builders, excavators, remodelers and homeowners, and we install, maintain and remove the controls as a separate service or as part of a seeding job.

What the city expects

The Philadelphia Water Department's stormwater manual says all earth disturbance must comply with Pennsylvania DEP erosion and sediment control requirements under 25 Pa. Code 102.4, and that every project, regardless of size, must install E&S controls suited to the site layout, neighboring features and planned work. Projects with 5,000 square feet or more of disturbance need an approved Erosion and Sediment Control Plan. The manual's construction guidance adds that approved E&S measures must be installed and inspected before any earth disturbance begins and kept functional until the site is stabilized.

Why it matters in the city

Parts of Philadelphia are served by combined sewer systems, and the Water Department's rules work to reduce overflows from them. The Water Department notes that sediment leaving a site can block downstream inlets and sewers and cause local flooding, on top of the pollution it carries. On narrow city blocks, the inlet at the low end of the street takes runoff from every open yard above it.

Getting silt fence installation right

Silt fence fails the moment water finds a way underneath. The Water Department's guidance says silt fencing must be properly trenched into the ground and backfilled. We trench the fabric toe in, backfill and compact against it, set stakes on the downhill side, and run the fence on the contour, bending each end up the slope so water ponds and settles instead of running around the end. Where heavier loads or longer slopes are expected, we use reinforced or stabilized fence.

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Inlet protection

City-owned inlets that receive runoff from a site have to be protected, and the manual singles out inlets at the lowest points because they take the most sediment and need the most maintenance. It also says inlet protection should not be the primary means of sediment control, only a safeguard behind keeping soil on site. We fit inlet filter bags, silt fence barriers, sandbag or gravel rings depending on the inlet type and traffic, and on-site inlets for new stormwater systems get protected until final stabilization.

Maintenance and removal

Silt fence fills with sediment, gets knocked down by equipment and tears in storms. We offer inspection and maintenance visits: removing built-up sediment, re-trenching undermined sections, replacing torn fabric and resetting inlet filters. State rules say temporary E&S controls come out once permanent stabilization is established, and any ground disturbed by removing them must itself be stabilized. Because we also do the seeding, we can pull the fence and seed the trench line in one visit.

Other sediment controls

Depending on the plan, sites may also need compost filter sock in place of fence on pavement or tight lots, rock construction entrances to keep mud off the street, and protection around bioretention and infiltration areas so they do not clog before the site is finished. We install what the plan shows or help you choose practical measures on smaller jobs that do not need a formal plan.