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Stormwater Quality
Introduction
Have you ever seen someone pour motor oil into a storm sewer? Use the nearest ditch to dispose of grass clippings with the leaf blower? Did you ever wonder where it all ends up? Our bayous and Galveston Bay - that's where. Virtually anything that touches the ground can make its way into the storm water drainage system and flow directly into our bayous, streams and ultimately, into the bay. If stormwater is contaminated by contact with pollutants, it stays contaminated because stormwater is not treated at a treatment plant.
Stormwater Affects Us All
Urban stormwater runoff is a serious concern because stormwater runoff may be contaminated with pesticides, fertilizers, animal droppings, trash, food wastes, automotive by-products and other toxic substances, as well as floatable trash that are all part of the urban environment. Storm water runoff that flows over streets, parking lots, construction sites and industrial facilities can carry these pollutants through the storm water drainage system directly into local rivers, bayous, channels and ditches.
These impacts can potentially result in losses of recreational resources and impacted functions and values of our natural resources.
Storm Water Program History
On November 16, 1990, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) storm water discharge regulations. These NPDES regulations require that municipal separate storm sewer systems serving a population of 100,000 or more and certain industrial activities (including some construction activities) obtain NPDES permit coverage for storm water discharged to waters of the United States. Permit provisions require the effective prohibition of non-storm water discharges to the regulated entity's/facility's storm water drainage system and the development of either Storm Water Management Programs (SWMP) for municipal systems or the development of Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP) for industrial facilities. A significant element in both SWMP and SWPPP is the use of best management practices (BMPs): activities, procedures and other practices to prevent or reduce pollution to the waters of the U.S.
The Joint Task Force is Formed
In a cooperative effort to address the EPA NPDES storm water permit requirements, four local entities chose to work together through a Joint Task Force (the "JTF") to prepare and submit a two-part joint permit application. Effective October 1, 1998, EPA Region 6 issued a NPDES storm water permit to the City of Houston, Harris County, the Harris County Flood Control District and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) as co-permittees.
This joint approach has worked well, providing consistency and efficiency among agency programs and economizing permit implementation costs. At the same time, each entity of the JTF is responsible for implementing its own program. The EPA has commended the JTF for the quality of its application as well as the consensus, cooperation and partnership building efforts of the four entities.
NPDES Stormwater Program Components
The permit requires each co-permittee to develop appropriate management programs to control stormwater pollutants where each entity has jurisdiction over the discharges.
Management programs required by the NPDES permit include, among other things, the implementation and maintenance of structural and non-structural best management practices to reduce pollutants in storm water runoff from residential, commercial and industrial areas and construction sites.
The NPDES permit also requires each co-permittee to: (1) Effectively prohibit illegal dumping and disposal of hazardous chemicals, (2) Monitor and analyze stormwater, and (3) Promote the proper management of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.
To support implementation of these management programs, the Joint Task Force has developed and implemented a comprehensive Public Education Program to communicate the importance of:
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Litter prevention |
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Proper management of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, |
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Public reporting of illicit discharges, |
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Proper management of used oils and toxics, |
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Proper management of household hazardous wastes, |
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Minimizing contaminated runoff from new developments and re-developments, |
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Minimizing contaminated runoff from construction sites |
Making A Transition
The Harris County/Houston community has completed its fifth year of the NPDES permit and will be moving to the TPDES (Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) soon. The District only deals with the floatables, which is a big deal for the Galveston Bay, but the real differences will come from the public education, construction controls and permanent water quality features.
More information regarding the NPDES program, Joint Task Force, and Stormwater Quality Public Education Program can be found at www.cleanwaterclearchoice.org.
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Pink Suits Buffalo Bayou Well
The Harris County Flood Control District has partnered with the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, the Port of Houston Authority, the Harris County Supplemental Environmental Program and City of Houston Environmental Investigation Unit to launch "Mighty Tidy" into service along Buffalo Bayou.
Mighty Tidy is the name given to this specially designed refuse-skimming vehicle.
This whimsical hot pink floating garbage guzzler can be seen looking for trash with its cartoon-like eyes five days a week on Buffalo Bayou from Shepherd Drive to the 610 East Loop. In addition to capturing debris washed into the bayou from storm drains and street runoff, the boat is also equipped with special attachments to remove trash located in trees and on the bayou banks.
The Mighty Tidy, a 21-foot vessel, is just one more way the District is partnering with others to keep Harris County's bayous clean.
> See news story on Mighty Tidy
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