Commitment to our community is important. So is the commitment to communities beyond our own. We try to accomplish this in a number of ways. Komax sponsors high school athletics teams including soccer and lacrosse programs. We run free demonstrations of equipment to college engineering labs so that the next generation of engineers can better understand how static mixing and process intensification operates. Their curiosity and the questions they ask will help drive them to continue pioneering in this field. One of our proudest projects involves supporting a small village in the Philippines through runoff management.

Runoff Management

Runoff management address flooding problems. Flooding in the Philippines is a dire threat during monsoon season. It can bring the entire country to a standstill. Hundreds have died in flash floods and the mudslides that are caused as a result.

If runoff causing the most erosion can be managed, it will reduce the negative effects on an area. This can help manage flooding, and the polluting of natural waterways, especially for villages that are downhill or in valleys. It may even lead to increased resistance against mudslides.

Stormwater runoff is the primary cause of stream impairment. What that means is that runoff carries pollutants and chemicals into forested areas and natural waterways. Those pollutants can include waste, fertilizer, oil, sewage, pesticides, trash, even treatments used on roads and buildings. The sheer amount of water runoff creates steady erosion along waterways and fissures.

How this Causes Mudslides

Places where there is human development are especially prone to mudslides because rainwater can’t absorb through many artificial surfaces. These are called impervious surfaces. Rather than being absorbed by the soil, it runs off, adding its volume to rainwater further down a hill. When it finally can absorb, there’s simply too much of it and it destabilizes that hillside.

The pollutants can impact the flora that grows in an area. Trees and plants will find it more difficult to grow. Plant coverage may become more sparse. Places where vegetation is thin are especially prone to mudslides. As water collects rapidly beneath and destabilizes a hillside, there’s not enough vegetation on top to absorb water, spread it evenly, or assist in holding it together.

The Importance of Community Service

Runoff management is one of the most important things happening in the Philippines right now to save lives from natural disaster. We’re very proud to support its development in a village there. It’s easy to support those right next to us, and Komax sponsors teams and gets involved in programs to do just that. It’s just as important to support those who live in communities beyond the ones we interact with every day. We’re proud of our part in helping those both near and far.