StormTrap Deal Highlights Push for End to End Stormwater Control

StormTrap’s Faircloth Skimmer buy reflects rising demand for integrated stormwater tools that cut compliance risk from construction through operation

5 Jan 2026

On July 8, 2025, StormTrap announced it had acquired Faircloth Skimmer, a specialist in construction phase runoff control. On its face, the move looked tactical. In practice, it underscored how stormwater management is being redefined by regulation, climate stress, and risk.

Faircloth Skimmer built its reputation on a simple but critical function: removing cleaner surface water from sediment basins during construction. Those early months of a project, when soil is exposed and drainage is temporary, are often when compliance breaks down. StormTrap’s leadership framed the acquisition as a way to engage sooner, at the point where runoff problems are most likely to begin.

That timing matters. Construction sites remain one of the most common sources of stormwater violations. Heavy rain can turn bare ground into a compliance headache overnight, and enforcement agencies have shown little patience for muddy discharges. By folding Faircloth Skimmer into its portfolio, StormTrap is moving upstream, from permanent infrastructure to active risk management.

The strategy mirrors a broader shift among buyers. Developers and municipalities increasingly want fewer vendors and clearer accountability. Handing off stormwater responsibility from one provider to another creates gaps, and gaps invite penalties. Integrated systems promise continuity, from groundbreaking to long term operation.

Regulatory pressure is only part of the story. Larger and more frequent storm events are testing the limits of traditional sediment basins and detention designs. Early stage water quality controls are no longer optional add ons. They are becoming essential to overall system performance.

Integration does carry tradeoffs. Merging product lines and maintaining engineering depth takes discipline, and some engineers will continue to favor specialized tools. Still, the market signal is hard to miss.

The StormTrap Faircloth Skimmer deal suggests where the sector is headed: toward broader capability, tighter compliance support, and solutions that span the full life of a project. For stormwater providers, staying narrow may soon mean staying vulnerable.