| Stormwater Pollution Prevention |
Storm Water Pollution Prevention is Everybody's Business
Best Management Practices (BMP's) You Can Use Now
Cover areas where potential pollutants are stored.
Store pollutants such as grease, paints, chemicals, and metals to prevent contact with storm water or water from other sources. Keep these materials covered, labeled and stored in appropriate containers.
Seal leaking storage containers and dumpsters.
Prevent substances like grease, liquids, and food products from coming into contact with rainfall and entering the storm drains. Contact local waste company for replacement of leaking dumpsters.
Prevent spills and leaks. Clean up promptly when they occur.
Maintain a regular inspection and repair schedule for vehicles and equipment. Clean any spill promptly, not allowing them to evaporate. Clean spills without water whenever possible. Rags, damp mops, and dry absorbent materials are recommended for cleanup. Dispose of any spill waste properly. If it is necessary to use water, block all flows to storm drain, collect and dispose of all water before unplugging drain.
Sweep parking lots and outdoor storage area regularly.
Sweep these areas at least once per week to maintain a debris-free facility. Pick up and dispose of debris, do not sweep it into the gutter or storm drain inlet. Never hose off paved surfaces.
Maintain landscaping properly.
Pick up and properly dispose of trimmings and clippings, don't sweep or blow wastes into the gutter or storm drain inlet. Avoid over-irrigation and over-application of herbicides and pesticides that could be toxic to wildlife in local creeks and wetlands.
Recycle or dispose of fluids properly.
Recycle automotive fluids, solvents, and cleaners or dispose of them as hazardous materials.
Wash vehicles and equipment in designated areas only.
Wash areas must be paved and fitted to drain only to sanitary sewers. A permit may be required to connect and discharge to the sanitary sewer. A commercial car wash may be an alternative if your facility is not properly equipped.
Inspect and label storm drain inlets.
Stenciling storm drain inlets on your property alerts employees and customers that no dumping is allowed. Prevent accumulated pollutants from washing down storm drains on your property by inspecting drains monthly, or more often as needed, and removing and properly disposing of any debris.
Check for and seal floor drains or piping that carry wastewater to storm drains.
Any discharged wastewater must be carried by the sanitary sewer to a treatment plant, never by storm drains to local creeks and wetlands. A permit may be required to connect and discharge to the sanitary sewer.
Educate customers and train employees to implement storm water pollution prevention practices.
Post notices of appropriate practices, provide convenient disposal containers, and train employees to implement these pollution prevention practices.
The State of California Regional Water Quality Control Board recently issued a storm water discharge permit to the City of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County Water Agency and County of Sonoma.This permit requires the three agencies to protect surface water quality and to preserve the beneficial uses of our creeks, the Russian River and Pacific Ocean.
What is Storm Water Pollution?
Storm water pollution refers to many types of harmful materials that are carried by water (rain water or wash water) through the storm drain system to creeks, lakes, the Russian River and ultimately Pacific Ocean. Storm water is not treated in any way. While water we use in our homes and businesses drains to a treatment plant, storm water and anything else dumped or spilled outside flows into the storm drain system and directly to our waterways.
Storm water pollution has many sources. One of the most common is the illegal dumping or spilling of wastes directly into storm drains, like pouring used motor oil or paint directly into a storm drain. Pollutants also enter storm drains when it rains; rain runs off roofs, streets, parking lots, and other paved and impervious surfaces and flows into the nearest storm drain, picking up pollutants along the way. Rain, as well as waters from hoses and sprinklers, carries detergents from car washing as well as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers to the storm drain. From the storm drain, water flows directly into the nearest waterway-garbage, toxins, and all.
Regulatory Background
In recent years, a number of federal, state, and local regulations have been created to control storm water pollution. A 1990 regulation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires urban areas to apply for a special permit regulating stormwater flows into natural water bodies. This permit is called a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The regulations and NPDES permit require urban areas over 100,000 in population, including the Santa Rosa area, to develop and implement a Storm Water Management Program identifying specific activities to eliminate or control storm water pollution.
What is A Storm Water Management Program?
It is a program designed to be used in cooperation with the public and governmental agencies to reduce the amount of storm water pollutants which now infiltrate our natural waterways and ultimately flow into the Pacific Ocean.
How Does This Affect Me And My Business?
One of the goals of the Storm Water Management Program is to control pollutants discharged to the municipal storm drains from commercial and industrial businesses. City representatives are available to visit your sites to help you understand and comply with storm water pollution control requirements. To help you get started, the reverse of this page describes Best Management Practices, or BMP's that can help minimize the discharge of pollutants from your facility.
These BMP's are only suggestions, and do not guarantee compliance with all Federal, State and local laws. For further information, contact:
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City of Santa Rosa: Public Works at 543-3467 (ASK FOR STORM WATER TEAM) or
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Community Development - Engineering at 543-3200 (ASK FOR GRADING SECTION) |
This brochure is one of a series of pamphlets describing storm drain protection measures for construction projects. Other pamphlets include:
Rev. April 1998