TPDES Storm Water Program

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TPDES Storm Water Program Public Works and
Municipal Utilities Department December 14, 2000
City Council Briefing
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Comprehensive Storm Water Program

• Requirement of the Clean Water Act
• 1972 Clean Water Act
• 1987 Amendments
• 1990 Phase I Rules Cities over 100,000 pop.
• 1999 Phase II Rules Urbanized Areas
• Responsibility of the EPA NPDES
• NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
  System
• Delegated to the TNRCC TPDES
• TPDES Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination
  System

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TPDES Program

• Regulates MS4s
• MS4 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System
• Storm Drains, ditches, swales, ponds, etc.
• A conveyance or system of conveyancesowned by a
  state, city, town, or other public entity that
  discharges into waters of the United States and
  is designed or used for collecting or conveying
  storm water
• Not a part of the Wastewater System (POTW)
• Publicly Owned Treatment Works Main Plant,
  Airport Plant, Terramar Beach Plant, etc.

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MS4 Not Just Municipal

• Jurisdictions
• Municipalities
• TxDOT
• Universities
• Hospitals
• Military Bases
• Prisons

• Conveyances
• Underground Pipes and Inlets
• Roads with Drainage Systems (Ditches and Gutters)

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TNRCC Permit Required

• Galveston MS4 will require TNRCC Permit
• TNRCC permit form by December 2002
• The Permittee (Galveston) must develop, implement
  and enforce a program that
• Reduces discharges of storm water pollutants
• Protects water quality (Maximum Extent
  Practicable)
• Program must include
• Six minimum control measures
• Evaluation/assessment of program
• Record keeping

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Six Minimum Controls

• Public Education / Outreach
• Public Involvement / Participation
• Illicit Discharge Detection / Elimination
• Construction Site Storm Water Control
• Post-Construction Storm Water Control
• New Development and Redevelopment
• Pollution Prevention / Good Housekeeping for
  Municipal Operations

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Public Education / Outreach

• Provide Educational Materials to Citizens
• BrochuresWater Bills
• Recreational guides
• Internet information
• Library information
• Volunteer educators
• Storm drain stenciling
• Storm water hotline

• Diverse Audiences
• Multiple Languages
• Minority Outreach
• Children Education
• Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional
  Outreach
• Restaurants Grease
• Auto Garages Used Oil

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Public Involvement/Participation

• Public Meetings
• Citizen Panels
• Volunteer Educators and Speakers
• Storm Drain Stenciling

• Community Cleanups
• Citizen Watch Groups
• Adopt A Storm Drain Programs
• Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring

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Illicit Discharge Detection / Elimination

• Comprehensive Storm Sewer Map Required
• Ordinance Prohibiting Illicit Discharges
• Examples
• Wastewater -- Septic Tank Effluent
• Car Wash Wastes -- Improper Oil Disposal
• Radiator Flushing -- Laundry Wastewaters
• Roadway Spills -- Improper Toxic Disposal

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Construction Site Storm Water Control

• Ordinance Regulating Construction Erosion
• Storm Water Site Plan Review
• Site Inspection and Enforcement
• Compliance Failure Sanctions (Fines)

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Post-Construction Storm Water Control

• Ordinance Regulating Private OM
• Ensure Adequate Long-term OM Controls
• Examples
• Zoning Revisions --Buffer Strips/Open Space
• Settling Basins -- Cleanup / Sweeping

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Pollution Prevention / Good Housekeeping for
Municipal Operations

• Clean / Maintain Storm Drains / Ditches
• Clean / Maintain City Property
• VERY Costly Item

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Preliminary Costs

• As much as 500,000 to 1.5 M per year!!
• Non-Compliance??
• EPA Fines!!
• 11,000 per day!!
• Plus the money they think we should have spent!!

• Funding Source General Fund??
• Other Funding Source??

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Municipal Drainage Utility Systems

• Texas Local Government Code 402.041-054
• Protect public health and safety 402.042(a)(3)
• Loss of life and propertysurface water overflows
• Surface Water Stagnation
• POLLUTION ARISING FROM NONPOINT SOURCE RUNOFF
• Adopted 1987, Revised 1991

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Specifics

• Added Fee to Utility Bills
• Typically 3 per month for residential
• Typically 20 per acre per month other
• ALL must pay this fee unlike some General Fund
  taxes
• Federal, State, and County not exempt
• SPECIFICALLY created by the State for this
  purpose.

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Public Works and Municipal Utilities Department