Transcript Georgetown County Stormwater Utility Chris Laude – County Engineer Zollie Green – Senior Engineer Chris Allen – Inspector Shelly Jordan – Quality/Billing Coordinator.

Georgetown County
Stormwater Utility
Chris Laude – County Engineer
Zollie Green – Senior Engineer
Chris Allen – Inspector
Shelly Jordan – Quality/Billing Coordinator
What is Stormwater?
• Rain or snow that falls on streets, parking
areas, rooftops and other developed land
and either flows directly into nearby
streams or travels through drainage
systems.
• The flows are then discharged, untreated,
into Georgetown County’s streams and
creeks.
What is a Stormwater Utility?
• It is a County created, separate entity and
fund that has been established to fund
operations and maintenance functions on
existing stormwater infrastructure,
administration of the County’s federally
mandated municipal permit, engineering
and technical review staff, and the design
and construction of capital improvements.
Why do we have a stormwater
utility fee?
• After studying the issue of Georgetown County’s
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stormwater needs, County Council passed an
ordinance establishing the stormwater enterprise
fund after three readings on June 12th, 2007.
State and Federal mandates to ensure clean
water are un-funded mandates. A stormwater
fee is the most equitable revenue source to
solve the County’s stormwater needs.
• The stormwater program will enable the
County to comply with federal regulations
as well as protect our community through
improved drainage and protection of local
waters.
• As the County grows in population, the
stormwater issues increase.
• Increased development means more land
disturbance.
• Increased water usage means more
potential for water pollution problems.
• Aging, deterioration and undersized
stormwater systems currently in place
need to be repaired, replaced and in some
cases, established. This costs money.
• If Georgetown County does not meet the
standards, then we risk being fined
thousands of dollars per day, which the
County can ill afford to pay.
• The enterprise fund is a necessary
revenue source to offset the competition
for dollars with other County needs.
Other sources of revenue funds.
• The County charges permitting fees for
stormwater, which pay a portion of the
cost for reviewing new development.
• In the future, additional state and federal
program monies, such as grants, may be
obtained for certain types of projects.
Who benefits from a stormwater
management program? Everyone.
• Residents, business and industry owners,
students, visitors and developers all
benefit. It protects roadways, property
and receiving streams and other waters. It
addresses both flooding and water quality
concerns.
Who pays the fee?
• Every parcel in Georgetown County with
400 square feet of impervious surface or
more will pay a stormwater user fee.
• Single family residential, multi-family
residential and non-residential properties
will pay the fee, including the County
itself.
• Single Family Residential parcels will pay
$52.00 per year or one ERU.
• An Equivalent Runoff Unit (ERU) is used
as the base unit for the stormwater utility
fee.
• One ERU is equal to 3,770 square feet of
impervious surface.
• Impervious surfaces are surfaces that can
not effectively infiltrate rainfall (building
rooftops, pavements, sidewalks,
driveways, etc.), and that is not
constructed using pervious pavement
technology.
Who is exempt from paying the
fee?
• No public or private parcel shall be exempt from
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Stormwater Management Utility service charges
and fees.
Exemptions are public road rights-of-way used
for general public transportation purposes.
Public road rights-of-way conveyed and
accepted for maintenance by County Stormwater
Management Utility service charges.
Railroad rights-of-way with a stone base and
used only for trackage.
Stormwater affects us all
• Stormwater run-off carries contaminants and
sediments back into our water table, which we
use for bathing, drinking, and recreation.
• Water Pollution issues stem from stormwater
run-off, and the stormwater utility was created
to deal with these potential pollution issues
within Georgetown County.
Stormwater pollution issues.
• Pet Waste – Improperly disposed of animal waste
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contaminates our water table.
Pet waste contains contaminants such as pathogens and
nutrients. Pathogens can cause illness.
Pet wastes enter our water resources when they are left
on the land. When rain or snowfall occurs, a portion of
the precipitation infiltrates into the ground. This process
can result in the infiltration of the contaminants as well.
In certain circumstances, this process can result in the
contamination of groundwater, which may be providing
drinking water to domestic wells.
Contaminating our Waters
• Water, which does not infiltrate the soil, runs
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across the land surface. During this process,
pollutants on the land are picked up and
ultimately transported to our waters.
Motor oil dumped on the ground and poured
down a storm drain contaminates the water
system.
Fertilizers and pesticides improperly
administered in your lawn and surrounding lands
also can potentially contaminate our water
system.
Stormwater run-off carries
everything loose in it’s path back
into the water table.
Water Quality Affects More Than
Just Us!
Stormwater issues are a
community concern and
Georgetown County Stormwater
is working hard to assist in
protecting our clean water
resources!
Questions and Answers Session
What is NPDES?
• “National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System”
• The Clean Water Act prohibits anybody from discharging
"pollutants" through a "point source" into a "water of the
United States" unless they have an NPDES permit. The
permit will contain limits on what you can discharge,
monitoring and reporting requirements, and other
provisions to ensure that the discharge does not hurt
water quality or people's health. In essence, the permit
translates general requirements of the Clean Water Act
into specific provisions tailored to the operations of each
person discharging pollutants.
NPDES Background
• 1972 Clean Water Act
– Administered by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)
– Created NPDES permitting process
– Multiple amendments
• 1987
– An amendment to CWA called Water Quality
Act required EPA to develop phased program
to regulate storm water discharges under
NPDES program.
NPDES Storm Water Program
• Point Source Pollution
– Discharges from readily
identifiable sources such as
wastewater treatment plants or
industrial facilities
•
Non-point Source Pollution
– Discharges that are less easily
identifiable such as runoff from
urbanized or agricultural areas
NPDES in South Carolina
• South Carolina is an NPDES delegated
state.
• NPDES regulations are administered by
South Carolina Department of Health and
Environmental Control (DHEC).
• Construction General Permit (CGP) is a
component of NPDES.
NPDES Phase II Construction
General Permit
• Issued February of 2005; appealed
• Appealed settled in late 2005
• New Phase II CGP became effective on
September 1, 2006
• Existing or ongoing permitted projects will
be grandfathered under old regulations
and not have to meet Phase II CGP
requirements
Who must obtain NPDES permit
coverage?
• All land disturbing activities greater than
or equal to 1 acre.
• Any disturbance within ½ mile of a
receiving water body in the S.C. Coastal
Zone (except individual single family
homes not part of a subdivision
development.)
Requirements of CGP
• Develop and implement Storm Water
Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)
– Identification of operators to be working
onsite
– Sequence of construction
– Locations of all BMPs necessary to minimize
pollutants in stormwater discharges to meet
applicable water quality standards.
– Locations of Surface Waters of the State
– Must be in compliance with all other
applicable permits or CGP is invalid.
Requirements of CGP
• Must comply with Federal reporting
requirements related to spills or releases
or oils or other hazardous substances.
• File Notice of Termination (NOT) when
construction is complete
• Retain all documentation required by
permit for three years from time permit is
terminated.
What’s Coming
Small Municipal Separated Storm Sewer
System (MS4)
-Unfunded Mandate from EPA to DHEC to
Local Government
-Six Elements of Program
--Public Education
--Public Involvement
--Illicit Discharge
--Construction Activities
--Post Construction
Municipal Activities
Public Education
• WHY
– Increases Support for Program
– Increases Compliance with Program
• How
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Newsletters
Website Information
Training Programs
Brochures
Public Services Announcements
Public Participation & Involvement
• Why
– Educate Citizens
– Forum for Reporting Problems
• How
– Public Notice Compliance Program
– Citizen Panel Involvement
– Community Clean-ups
Illicit Discharges, Detection &
Elimination
• Why
– Improve Water Quality
• How
– Detection and Elimination Program
– Outfall Map Preparation
– Outfall Inspections
– Used Oil Recycling Program
Construction Site Runoff
• Why
– It’s the Law of the Land
– Site Runoff Carries Sediment and Pollution
– Increasing Volume of Runoff Increases Flooding
• How
– Best Management Practices Requirements
Post-Construction Runoff Control
• Why
– Untreated Runoff Contains Oil/Greases, Heavy
Metals, Pesticides, Fertilizers and Pet Waste
• How
– Maintaining BMPs from Construction Phase
– Retrofitting BMPs that are not Working
– Non-Structural BMPs (Education, Pet Waste
Pickup, Proper Use of Fertilizer and Pesticides)
Municipal Activities-Pollution
Prevention & Good Housekeeping
• Why
– County Maintains Roads, Ditches, Parks Landfill ect
• How
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Operations and Maintenance Pollution Prevention Plan
Employee Training Programs
Information Management System
Park and Open Space Maintenance Procedures