Before
After
Capillary action
By addressing compaction and enhancing soil porosity, GEPS transforms the soil and subsoil into a highly absorbent matrix, working like a blotter sheet. It amplifies the lateral movement of water through tiny soil pores, volumetrically infiltrating water up to ten times faster than traditional drainage solutions and distributing moisture to areas where it is most needed.
Pressure gradients
GEPS leverages differences in pressure caused by soil behaviors like expansion/contraction due to moisture content to passively assist water in moving around/through soils with low permeability or soil layer borders with pressure barriers. In doing so, infiltration rates are enhanced, more moisture is conserved and replenished into the ground, and moisture content within the soil profile harmonizes.
Polyethylene product
GEPS units are crafted from chemically inert polyethylene, ensuring long-term functionality and environmental safety. Their shape facilitates the mechanisms of action that bring clients their desired results.
Durability
Resistant to extreme temperatures and chemical degradation, GEPS maintains its performance even under harsh environmental conditions.
Sustainability
GEPS operates passively, requiring no external energy or input, making it an eco-friendly and cost-effective solution.
Key components
Further technical questions
Cross-section of a GEPS unit
Most of the GEPS within the infiltration basin enhanced the local infiltration rate. The infiltration rates associated with two of the shallow GEPS were 7.4 – 8.6 times faster than the one associated with native soil conditions. The infiltration rate associated with the deep GEPS was 10.2 times faster than that associated with native soil conditions.
Dr. Peggy Mauk
PhD and Distinguished Senior Research Specialist at the Institute of Water Research, Michigan State University, Lansing, Michigan, USA
The GEPS technology might best be described as novel and is unique in my over 40 years of experience in water resource management, including wetland design and operation. It cannot be readily compared with existing surface drainage methods that depend on pipes or channels to deliver water to holding basins. The GEPS is passive but has great capacity for water movement, taking advantage of many mechanisms and processes.
Dr. Edwin Herricks
Professor Emeritus of Environmental Biology in the Environmental Engineering and Science Program at the University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA
Step-by-step natural process
Soil activation
GEPS units modify the soil’s properties, improving permeability and creating water flow and subterranean runoff pathways.
Enhanced infiltration
Water penetrates compacted soil layers more easily, guided by gravity and pressure gradients.
Groundwater recharge
Water penetrates compacted soil layers more easily, guided by gravity and pressure gradients.
Sustained moisture retention
Improved soil porosity retains water, making it available to plants even during dry periods.
Integration with natural systems
GEPS aligns with and amplifies natural soil hydrology by improving infiltration and reducing surface water pooling, supporting aquifer recharge for long-term water availability, and enhancing soil moisture retention, reducing reliance on artificial irrigation.
The science behind GEPS
Exlterra GEPS (Groundwater Energy Passive System) transforms how we address water infiltration, groundwater recharge, and soil stability. By leveraging natural forces like gravity, pressure gradients, and capillary action, GEPS enhances soil permeability without mechanical or chemical interventions. Exlterra's sustainable, maintenance-free GEPS system is a groundbreaking solution for modern soil and water challenges.
Core mechanism
At its core, GEPS is an underground network of individual GEPS units that redistribute and rebalance moisture within a soil volume. Unlike traditional solutions that rely on pumps or other active mechanisms, GEPS enhances soil-water interactions passively – making the ground do the work for it without being limited to the vertical plane.
Built for underground durability
Remain leak-free and effective throughout their entire lifespan.
Wide temperature range
Operates reliably from -20°F to 170°F (-29°C to 76°C)
Different lengths available
GEPS units range from 5 to 40 feet (1.5 to 12 meters) long.
Minimal installation depth
Installs just 1 to 1.64 feet (30 to 50 cm) below ground.
Real-world validation
Numerous installations around the world demonstrate that Exlterra GEPS has reduced surface water pooling by up to 90% and improved groundwater recharge rates by as much as 50%. These results highlight the technology's ability to address real-world hydrological challenges sustainably.