Services Information

Long-term stormwater management plans are necessary because they indicate the permanent method of runoff control and pollution avoidance for developed sites. Post-construction stormwater management plans consist of the permanent Best Management Practices (BMPs including detention basins, underground storage, permeable pavements, etc and the expected annual maintenance plan for these. The BMPs are planned to compensate for increased runoff potential from impervious coverage. They encourage groundwater recharge and help prevent flooding.

The stormwater permit requires Operator self- inspections every 7 or 14 calendar days and within 24 hours of .25” of rain to assess the effectiveness of their SWPPP and BMPs. These inspections are in addition to the municipal regulator’s monthly inspections. Operator self-inspections are critical for ongoing compliance as they identify if there are any failures of BMPs, evidence of erosion or sediment offsite discharges, and/or maintenance that needs to occur. Operator self-inspections are a check to ensure the site's stormwater management system is fully operational and compliant, preventing pollution and avoiding violations.

Dewatering is a critical SWPPP requirement because excavation during construction sometimes meets groundwater and/or rain, rainfall, and surface runoff. In order for construction to proceed, muddy waters need to be removed from the site; however, such water can contain sediment, oils, chemicals, etc. The UPDES dewatering permit ensures this discharged water is properly managed and treated using a specific plan and Best Management Practices (BMPs) before it enters local waterways. This prevents water contamination, protects aquatic ecosystems, and safeguards our water resources from the direct impacts of construction activities.

An industrial stormwater permit requires a comprehensive Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), including identification of potential pollutant sources, required Best Management Practices (BMPs) that must be implemented and maintained, and for some types of facilities, ongoing stormwater discharge monitoring and reporting. If left unmanaged, a variety of pollutants could directly contaminate local waterways, reducing water quality, stressing aquatic flora and fauna, and limiting community access to healthy water resources.

While dust control pertains primarily to air quality, it's a necessary stormwater management requirement due to the fact that fugitive dust generated from construction activities easily settles and can be washed away by rain or snowmelt. Settled dust becomes stormwater runoff and, as a pollutant composed of fine sediment and potential toxins, it can exacerbate murkiness in local waterways, creating UPDES violations and adverse effects on the aquatic ecosystem.

A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) is a site-specific, legally mandated document that must be developed for every construction project that disturbs one or more acres. The SWPPP explains how the operator recognizes likely sources of stormwater contamination and then how they will employ a series of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to ensure that sediment, chemicals, and debris do not enter our waterways. The SWPPP is mandated by the UPDES General Construction Permit and entails erosion and sediment control practices, materials management, and maintenance activities. It also lays out the frequency of required inspections.

Street sweeping constitutes one of the required Best Management Practices (BMPs) included in a successful stormwater program. It limits the construction site sediment, road dirt, debris, and other contaminants from remaining on hardened surfaces and then being washed away due to rainfall or snowmelt. Pollution is minimized by street, parking lot, and construction entrance sweeping. Street sweeping directly reduces the transfer of particulates and materials into storm drains, which subsequently flow into our waterways. Maintaining water quality and complying with UPDES permit regulations are positively impacted through this practice.

Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) include a variety of techniques implemented to minimize erosion, control sediment, and prevent other pollutants from leaving the construction site in stormwater runoff and snowmelt. Since disturbed soil is highly susceptible to erosion, these BMPs focus on either preventing soil from being carried away by water (erosion control) or capturing sediment once it has eroded (sediment control). Common examples include silt fences and straw wattles installed along the downslope perimeter to slow down and filter runoff, stabilized construction entrances to reduce tracking mud and dirt onto public roads, and storm drain inlet protection to keep debris out of the storm drains and waterways. 

Training is a required component of the Stormwater General Construction Permit because if untrained, the construction project team will be more likely to err, overlook issues that need to be addressed, or inadequately assess the best course of action when the permitted stormwater construction discharge is ineffective leading to more pollutant discharges to our streams and rivers, violations of the SWPPP, extended construction timelines, and regulatory fines and fees.
*Accena SWPPP Services offers free SWPPP training.