Stormwater Management
Stormwater management programs are created to manage the quantity and quality of stormwater and ensure that life safety, quality of life and the environment are protected before, during and after all storm events throughout the town. In this section, information on several of the Town’s storm water programs are provided.
- Why is the program necessary?
- How did the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System begin and why are small communities such as Oro Valley involved?
- What is required of Oro Valley and other small MS4s?
- Who pays the bill?
- What can our residents do to help improve stormwater quality?
- How do I get involved?
Question 1:
Why is the program necessary?
Answer: National studies by the U.S. EPA, State, and local agencies, the U.S. Geological Survey, and universities have shown that urbanization and associated development of an area not only affects flow rates and volume of stormwater runoff but also can increase the number and amount of contaminants found in the stormwater. Stormwater begins its role as transporter of contaminants as it flows off rooftops and across yards, driveways, streets, and parking lots on its way to a natural water course. On its way, it can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt, sediment, animal wastes all which enter the natural water course and some of which may eventually infiltrate to ground water. Contaminated stormwater can have adverse effects on people, plants, animals, fish, and the hydrologic environment.
- Sediment can clog ground-water recharge areas in alluvial channels, impair the sustainability of aquatic habitats, and reduce the conveyance capability and capacity of drainage and floodwater control structures.
- Bacteria and other pathogens can create health hazards.
- Household chemical wastes such as pesticides, paint, solvents, used motor oil, and other automotive fluids can contribute chemicals that are toxic to land animals and aquatic life as well as degrading to ground water quality.
- Excess nutrients can be detrimental in aquatic habitats where they can lead to algal blooms. As the algae die off, the decomposition process can have a considerable influence on dissolved oxygen levels in a water body. In addition, elevated concentrations of nitrate in ground water used for drinking water can have adverse health impacts.
- Polluted stormwater can affect, most noticeably, surface waters that are used as drinking water sources thereby resulting in possible human health concerns and increased drinking water treatment costs.
- Debris of all types—plastic, rubber, metallic, and construction materials can disable animals and birds, and can become lodged at culverts and bridges thereby creating an impediment to flow, increasing water-surface elevations, and possibly increasing the risk of flooding.
Question 2:
How did the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System begin and why are small communities such as Oro Valley involved?
Answer: A growing public awareness of and concern for controlling water pollution during the first half of the 20th century lead to the passage of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA), P.L. 80-845, in 1948. The FWPCA has been amended nine times between 1956 and 1987. Most notably, the 1972 Amendments resulted in P.L. 92-500, commonly known as the Clean Water Act. This Act restructured the responsibility for water pollution control and gave that responsibility to the Administrator of the U.S. EPA. The 1977 Amendments created the basic structure, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), for regulating discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States.
The NPDES was the permit program established to set water-quality standards and to regulate point source pollutant discharge into waters of the United States. Through provisions of the program which included establishment of water-quality criteria that point-source dischargers should not exceed and a construction grants program to help communities improve waste-water treatment plant capabilities, point-source discharge quality has improved. However, as this improvement was taking place, the impact of stormwater runoff as a non-point source contributor to stream quality degradation became more evident.
In 1990, the EPA promulgated rules to establish Phase I of the NPDES Stormwater Program. The objective of the Phase I program was to implement a stormwater management program to control contaminant input to stormwater runoff in communities served by Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) and having populations of 100,000 or greater. In December 1999, the Stormwater Phase II final rule was published in the Federal Register vol. 64, no. 235. This rule expanded with some variation in approach the existing Phase I regulations to communities of less than 100,000 population that are located in “urbanized areas” as defined by the Bureau of Census. Thus, the Town of Oro Valley due to its proximity to the Tucson metropolitan area is required to implement activities that will reduce the discharge of pollutants in stormwater to the “maximum extent practicable” (MEP) thereby aiding in the protection of water quality.
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Question 3:
What is required of Oro Valley and other small MS4s?
Answer: The Town of Oro Valley was required to submit a Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP) to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) by March 10, 2003. This requirement was accomplished by the Stormwater Utility Commission (SWUC)—a volunteer group consisting of five Oro Valley residents. The NPDES Phase II activity requires that small MS4s develop and implement best management practices (BMPs) and timelines for achievement of measurable goals to satisfy each of the following six minimum control measures:
a. Public education and outreach,
b. Public participation/involvement,
c. Illicit discharge detection and elimination (IDDE),
d. Construction site runoff control,
e. Post-construction runoff control, and
f. Pollution prevention/good housekeeping.
Throughout the permit period, March 2003 through December 2007, the permittees must evaluate the effectiveness of their chosen BMPs to determine whether or not the desired goals/objectives are being met. All communities are required to submit an annual report to the ADEQ. In Oro Valley, the Town Council will also receive an annual report.
Question 4:
Who pays the bill?
Answer: Since the inception of the NPDES Phase I stormwater program in 1990, it has been a community’s responsibility to fund the program. The requirement for community funding has been carried over to the NPDES Phase II stormwater program. Failure of an identified Phase II community to file the required SWMP or to ignore the implementation of activities contained in the Plan would place the community in a non-compliant position. Being in this status could lead to the issuance of fines by the ADEQ.
The Town realized early the need to participate in the NPDES Phase II program and formed the SWUC in October 2001. The Town has a tradition of forming and utilizing volunteer groups in various ways to help accomplish required programs. This tradition results in a win-win situation as it gives residents an opportunity to be involved in Town activities and utilize their knowledge and skills, and it allows the Town to accomplish various programs at a minimum cost. As an example, through the volunteer efforts of the SWUC members, the Town was able to write and submit the SWMP to ADEQ, generate a staffing and budget estimate for the SWMP, and develop a proposed fee structure that will recoup future stormwater program costs. The work of volunteers on the SWUC resulted in an estimated savings of $50,000-$100,000 to the Town of Oro Valley.
As various elements of the SWMP are implemented by Town staff, two key components will be continued:
a. Recognition of the importance of active involvement of residents, organizations, and school groups in the accomplishment of SWMP objectives, and
b. Compatibility of our new stormwater program with existing programs and Town regulations. For example, grading permits, stormwater pollution prevention plans, and maintenance activities including road and right-of way upkeep will help to meet SWMP objectives.
Additionally, the upgrade or rectification of drainage/flow related problems is generally addressed through other funding sources. However, the solutions to drainage/flow related issues will often with a minimal amount of additional effort and cost benefit the stormwater quality program. Thus, through close coordination in the rectification of stormwater quantity and quality concerns in Oro Valley, it should be possible to maximize benefits and minimize costs.
Question 5:
What can our residents do to help improve stormwater quality?
Answer: On a routine basis, think about your actions, whether it is at home or at work, and what impact they may have on the environment and stormwater quality. It has been shown that urbanization increases the variety and amount of contaminants carried into streams and washes. The contaminants include:
a. Sediment,
b. Oil, grease, and toxic fluids from motor vehicles,
c. Pesticides and nutrients from lawns and gardens,
d. Viruses, bacteria, and nutrients from pet wastes and failing septic systems,
e. Trace metals and toxic organic compounds from roof shingles, motor vehicles, and improper handling and disposal of paints and household cleaning compounds, and
f. Toxicological and physical affects of debris and waste material generated both residentially and commercially. You can help to lessen the likelihood of contaminants entering stormwater runoff simply by thinking about and conducting your day-to-day activities in an environmentally friendly manner. Here are a few suggestions for home and business:
Home:
a. Use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly and only in recommended amounts. Use organic mulch or biologically safer pest control methods whenever possible.
b. Do not over water your lawn. Consider the use of a soaker hose in lieu of a sprinkler.
c. Compost or mulch yard wastes. Do not leave it in the street, sweep it into a storm drain, or dump it in a wash or stream.
d. Cover piles of dirt or mulch being used in landscaping projects.
e. Do car washing and engine degreasing at a commercial car wash that treats or recycles its waste water.
f. Repair automobile fluid leaks before they become a major problem.
g. Dispose of used automotive fluids, batteries, and tires as well as paints and cleaning solvents at designated drop-off or recycling centers.
h. Pick up pet wastes and dispose of properly. Flushing pet waste is the best disposal method.
i. Inspect your septic system every 3-4 years and pump as necessary. Do not dispose of household chemicals or toxic wastes in sinks or toilets that drain to a septic system.
j. Use environmentally friendly landscaping techniques. For example, permeable pavement will allow rain to soak through thereby decreasing runoff; rain barrels can be used to collect rooftop runoff for use on gardens and shrubs; and landscaped swales and rain gardens can be designed to make use of runoff generated on a residential lot.
Business/commercial property:
a. Sweep up litter and debris from sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots to prevent their wash off during storm events.
b. Cover grease storage containers and dumpsters; and keep them clean to avoid leaks.
c. Report any chemical spill to the local hazardous waste cleanup team.
d. Divert stormwater away from any disturbed or exposed areas on a construction site.
e. Install silt fences, vehicle tire wash/mud removal areas, containment barriers around fluid storage areas, and vegetative cover to minimize the potential for sediment and contaminant movement from construction areas.
f. Clean gasoline and other automotive fluid spills immediately and properly dispose of cleanup materials. Facilities should be designed for spill containment and have operational oil/water separators.
In addition to adapting an environmentally friendly approach to your daily activities, you can become involved in one of the Town of Oro Valley programs which have goals of keeping our community a clean and aesthetically desirable place to live. These programs include the ongoing Adopt-A-Roadway program and two new efforts—the Adopt-A-Trail and Adopt-A-Wash programs.
Question 6:
How do I get involved?
Answer: The Town of Oro Valley has identified coordinators for the roadways, trails, and washes programs. The contacts are as follows:
a. Adopt-A-Roadway: Carmen Ryan, 229-5070;
b. Adopt-A-Trail: Nancy Ellis, 229-5057; and
c. Adopt-A-Wash: Paul Jungen, 229-5044.
As mentioned previously, all three programs have a common goal to keep Oro Valley’s landscape clean and litter free and to help provide an aesthetically desirable place to live. It is important to remember that any trash or other unwanted material that is disposed of improperly along roads and trails can ultimately end up in a wash or stream and exasperate the potential problems caused by trash that is discarded in washes directly. Once in a wash, the trash when in contact with water can become a contaminant source which can affect stormwater quality and possibly even our ground-water resources as well as accumulate at culverts and bridges thereby affecting their ability to convey flood waters. Additionally, involvement in any of these activities creates a win-win situation. It helps the Town to accomplish program goals at a minimum cost, and it provides the participants a healthy activity, i.e., fresh air and sunshine, as well as an opportunity to meet others and perhaps make some new friends.