Water is to the 21st Century what oil was to the 20th Century

What is stormwater runoff?

Stormwater runoff is water from rain or melting snow that “runs off” across the land instead of seeping into the ground. This runoff usually flows into the nearest stream, creek, river, lake or ocean. The runoff is not treated in any way.

What is polluted runoff?

Water from rain and melting snow either seeps into the ground or “runs off” to lower areas, making its way into streams, lakes and other water bodies. On its way, runoff water can pick up and carry many substances that pollute water.

Some - like pesticides, fertilizers, oil and soap – are harmful in any quantity. Others – like sediment from construction, bare soil, or agricultural land, or pet waste, grass clippings and leaves – can harm creeks, rivers and lakes in sufficient quantities.

In addition to rain and snowmelt, various human activities like watering, car washing, and malfunctioning septic tank can also put water onto the land surface. Here, it can also create runoff that carries pollutants to creeks, rivers and lakes.

Polluted runoff generally happens anywhere people use or alter the land. For example, in developed areas, none of the water that falls on hard surfaces like roofs, driveways, parking lots or roads can seep into the ground. These impervious surfaces create large amounts of runoff that picks up pollutants. The runoff flows from gutters and storm drains to streams. Runoff not only pollutes' but erodes streambanks. The mix of pollution and eroded dirt muddies the water and causes problems downstream.

What is Nonpoint Source Pollution?

This is another term for polluted runoff and other sources of water pollution that are hard to pinpoint. The term “nonpoint source pollution” comes from the federal Clean Water Act of 1987. There, it is used as a catch-all for all kinds of water pollution that are not well-defined discharges (point sources) from wastewater plants or industries.

Many state agencies have nonpoint source (NPS) management programs that address polluted runoff. The NPS program is part of DENR’s Division of Water Quality. It serves as the central coordinating agency for the many NPS-related programs operated by various agencies.

What causes polluted stormwater runoff?

Polluted stormwater runoff generally happens anywhere people use or alter the land. People going about their daily lives are the number one source of stormwater pollutants. Most people are unaware of how they impact water quality. Some common examples include over fertilizing lawns, excessive pesticide use, not picking up pet waste, using salt or fertilizer to de-ice driveways, letting oil drip out of their vehicles and littering. Developed areas in general, with their increased runoff, concentrated numbers of people and animals, construction and other activities, are a major contributor to NPS pollution, as are agricultural activities. Other contributors include forest harvesting activities, roadways, and malfunctioning septic systems.
Why do we need to manage stormwater and polluted runoff?

Polluted stormwater runoff is the number one cause of water pollution in the country. In most cases in may parts of the country, stormwater either does not receive any treatment before it enters our waterways or is inadequately treated.

Polluted water creates numerous costs to the public and to wildlife. As the saying goes, “we all live downstream.” Communities that use surface water for their drinking supply must pay much more to clean up polluted water than clean water.

Polluted water hurts the wildlife in creeks, streams, rivers and lakes. Dirt from erosion, also called sediment, covers up fish habitats and fertilizers can cause too much algae to grow, which also hurts wildlife by using up the oxygen they need to survive. Soaps hurt fish gills and fish skin, and other chemicals damage plants and animals when they enter the water.

The quantity of stormwater is also a problem. When stormwater falls on hard surfaces like roads, roofs, driveways and parking lots, it cannot seep into the ground, so it runs off to lower areas. To give you an idea of the difference a hard surface makes, consider the difference between one inch of rain falling onto a meadow and a parking lot. The parking lot sheds 16 times the amount of water that a meadow does!

Because more water runs off hard surfaces, developed areas can experience local flooding. The high volume of water also causes streams banks to erode and washes the wildlife that live there downstream.

How are stormwater and runoff “managed”?

“Best management practices” is a term used to describe different ways to keep pollutants out of runoff and to slow down high volumes of runoff.

Preventing pollution from entering water is much more affordable than cleaning polluted water! Educating state residents about how to prevent pollution from entering waterways is one best management practice. Laws that require people and businesses involved in earth disturbing activities --like construction and agriculture -- to take steps to prevent erosion are another way to prevent stormwater pollution. There are also laws about litter, cleaning up after pets and dumping oil or other substances into storm drains.

Education and laws are just two best management practice examples. Some BMPs are constructed to protect a certain area. Some are designed to slow down stormwater, others help reduce the pollutants already in it – there are also BMPs that do both of these things.

Detention ponds, built to temporarily hold water so it seeps away slowly, fill up quickly after a rainstorm and allow solids like sediment and litter to settle at the pond bottom. Then, they release the water slowly. These ponds are one constructed BMP example. But other alternative such as green roofs, storm drain grates, filter strips, underground chamber systems, sediment fences and permeable paving are other examples that in the long run offer a better solution in dealing with stormwater.

Why all the recent fuss about stormwater?

The federal Clean Water Act requires large and medium sized towns across the United States to take steps to reduce polluted stormwater runoff. The law was applied in two phases. The first phase addressed large cities. The second phase, often referred to as ”Phase II,” requires medium and small cities, fast growing cities and those located near sensitive waters to take steps to reduce stormwater. The EPA has mandated that by 2008 all municipalities must have a Stormwater policy in place to deal with the stormwater issue. The EPA is currently conducting audits to make sure that these policies are in place.
These laws require chosen cities to do six things:
1) Conduct outreach and education about polluted stormwater runoff.
2) Provide opportunities for residents to participate and be involved in conversations and activities related to reducing polluted stormwater runoff.
3) Detect illicit discharges (e.g. straight piping or dumping).
4) Control construction site runoff.
5) Control post-construction runoff.
6) Perform municipal housekeeping (e.g. take steps to prevent runoff from city buildings and activities.)

If it only affects streams and creeks, why should I care?

Streams and creeks feed into rivers, lakes and the ocean. We all drink water, so we are all affected when our water is polluted. When water treatment costs rise, the price of drinking water goes up. If you like to fish, swim or boat, you may have heard or been affected by advisories warning you not to swim, fish or boat in a certain area because of unhealthy water or too much algae. Shellfish like clams and oysters cannot be harvested from polluted waters, so anyone that enjoys these foods or makes a living from the shellfish industry is affected. Money made from tourism and water recreation can also be impacted, as are businesses and home flooded by stormwater runoff. When we pollute our water, everyone is affected!

What is a stormwater fee and why do I have one?

Check with your local drain commisioner but most states do not charge residents for stormwater management but recently there is a great push to go in this direction. See the article in Stormwater Magazine http://www.stormh2o.com/sw_0709_csi.html that talks about how users fees should be implimented. Stormwater fees are one way municipalities can choose to raise funds to perform the six steps required by the federal government. Cities can levy fees based on a variety of standards, but one of the most common methods is to base them on the amount of impervious surfaces (surfaces like concrete and roofs, where water can’t seep into the ground) on a property. In these cases, property owners with more impervious surfaces pay more than those with less impervious surfaces. In some cities, taking steps to reduce the amount of impervious surfaces – by installing a green roof, permeable paving or underground chamber systems that collect rainwater runoff – can reduce the fee applied to a specific property plus increase the potential for LEEDs credit. For more information on LEED’s click this link http://www.tritonsws.com/leeds_info

How does this benefit the average taxpayer?

When our water is polluted, we all pay in one way or another. Damage from urban flooding can raise merchant prices and insurance rates. Sediment and pollution laden water takes more money to treat before it can be used for drinking water. Tourism and recreation businesses suffer along with residents when swimming, fishing and boating are curtailed. Shellfish become more expensive and harder to harvest when shellfish beds close. And the list goes on. Because everyone plays a role in creating the pollution in stormwater runoff, we all have a role in cleaning it up

How Triton Can Help.

As site owner or developer, you might be wondering how the stormwater regulations impact your property. Most of all you want to know how they can affect your bottom line.

We understand and that’s why we place a high emphasis on providing products that are efficient, cost effective and easy to maintain. Most importantly, we make it easy for you to comply with regulations and do your part to keep the lakes, rivers and oceans cleaner and safer for the people who live in your community.

There are several factors crucial to making a smart choice when it comes to stormwater management. These will not only save you money in the long run, but can actually generate significant benefits, including low impact development.

The best place to start is with regulations. Virtually all new developments exceeding one acre must now comply with stormwater requirements, for quality, quanitity, or both. To avoid fines, it’s important to work with your consulting engineer to select a stormwater treatment option that best balances the water quality requirements with your budget.

Look for a system that’s easy to maintain on an annual basis. System installation should also be discussed. Some manufactured BMPs are complicated and challenging to install, increasing the risk for problems down the road.

If aesthetics are important , a underground chamber system is the perfect solution. From concerns about mosquitoes to enhancing your reputation as a company that cares about its community and the environment, we can help you make the right choice for your stormwater treatment. Also by using our system you can achieve more potential LEEDs credits than other available systems. For more information on LEED’s click this link http://www.tritonsws.com/leeds_info

No matter what your site - from tight sites to expansive projects, Triton Stormwater Solutions has the perfect solution designed for your site.

Want Regulatory Answers Online?

TRITON Stormwater Solutions recommends StormwaterAuthority.org for straightforward and comprehensive information about regulations on the national and state levels. StormwaterAuthority offers practical insight from the best sources in the industry -- all delivered in an easy-to-use format. We are proud to be a supporter of this innovative industry news and information site, and confidently recommend it to our customers.

http://www.stormwaterauthority.org/

Regulatory Summary

Stormwater regulations are an out growth of the 1972 Clean Water Act and 1987 Water Quality Act, which established new standards and schedules for industrial and municipal stormwater. Known as the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), this national permitting program controls pollutants discharged into surface water such as lakes, ponds, streams and even the ocean. Beginning in the early 1990s, Phase I of NPDES required that cities with populations of more than 100,000, as well as large industrial and construction sites, begin treating stormwater runoff from sites. In December 1999, Phase II of NPDES was announced and required that more than 5,000 municipalities and all new developments one acre or larger implement stormwater treatment best management practices (BMPs) to the maximum extent practicable.

Beyond the national regulations, state, county and municipal regulations are constantly evolving. It is because of this flux that every business faces complex stormwater challenges. Some states require businesses and developers to treat stormwater only to that “maximum extent practicable” standard set forth by the EPA’s Phase II regulations. Other states and municipalities have taken stormwater treatment even further and have implemented specific requirements. Proof of performance for stormwater treatment systems also varies widely across the U.S. Some states require third party testing to approve a manufactured BMP and others require only the manuafacturer's lab testing.

Federal Regulations

According to the EPA, “states report that nonpoint source pollution is the leading remaining cause of water quality problems. The effects of nonpoint source pollutants on specific waters vary and may not always be fully assessed. However, we know that these pollutants have harmful effects on drinking water supplies, recreation, fisheries, and wildlife.

To address these impacts, the EPA developed a federal program under the Clean Water Act to regulate stormwater discharge from industrial facilities, construction sites and municipal sewer systems. This program is the foundation for state and municipal stormwater management programs and guides the permitting process and water quality standards within each state.

The EPA has also established the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program to manage water pollution to water bodies that are not meeting federal water quality standards.

State Stormwater Regulations

Stormwater runoff significantly impacts the water quality by depositing sediment and pollutants into waterways. While the EPA has created programs under the Clean Water Act, implementation of these programs is managed by state environmental agencies. The exceptions are Massachusetts , New Mexico , Alaska , Idaho and New Hampshire where EPA retains authority.

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) must develop, implement, and enforce a stormwater management program (SWMP) to reduce the discharge of pollutants from MS4s to the “maximum extent practicable."

Maximum Extent Practicable (MEP) is a technology-based standard established by Congress in the Clean Water Act. Since no precise definition of MEP exists, it allows for maximum flexibility on the part of MS4 operators as they develop their programs.

The majority of states have established permitting requirements for construction sites disturbing more than one acre, industrial sites, and MS4s. All MS4s should currently be permitted or be in the permit process. Each permitted MS4 is responsible for establishing a Stormwater Management Program either under the Phase I program, or under the Phase II of the NPDES stormwater regulations.

Stormwater treatment is important. Here's why.

Growing concern about stormwater stems from research that contaminants carried in stormwater, otherwise known as nonpoint source pollutants, are one of the leading causes of water quality problems. Unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, nonpoint source pollution comes from many sources. Nonpoint source pollution is the broad term referring to the type of pollution caused by non-specific sources, including human-made and natural pollutants. By contrast, direct dumping of chemicals by a factory would be a specific source for pollution. Each raindrop that falls on impervious surfaces, such as pavement, sidewalks, and roads, can mobilize pollutants on those surfaces. Everything from automobile oil and grease to trash and debris can be carried by runoff into our lakes, streams, rivers and oceans.

Stormwater pollution increases with urban and rural development. This extreme spread of impervious area multiplies stormwater pollution. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 80 percent of the U.S. population lives in a metropolitan area, and the majority live within 10 miles of a polluted river, lake or ocean. Almost 40 percent of these waters are not safe for drinking, fishing, swimming or boating.