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Stormwater Engineering

What is the NPDES?

In 1987, Congress amended the Clean Water Act to require a nationwide program for addressing polluted stormwater. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Phase I of this program was established in 1990 and applied to:

  • cities with populations over 100,000
  • construction sites disturbing five or more acres of land
  • certain industrial facilities

Phase II was established in 1999 and expands the program to include:

  • cities with populations over 50,000
  • construction sites disturbing one or more acres of land

What are the Phase II regulatory requirements?

In 2003, the City of Lawrence applied for permit coverage with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). The permit application identified the steps that the City will take to implement pollution control measures. The EPA intends to reevaluate the permit system in 2012.

The Phase II program defines six "minimum control measures" that must be implemented by the City:

  1. Public Education on Stormwater Pollution
    • Distribute educational materials to the community, such as brochures, storm drain markers, public announcements and Web pages.
  2. Public Participation and Involvement
    • Allow citizens to provide input during the selection of policies and practices.
    • Create citizen panels, hold public meetings and establish a citizen hotline.
  3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
    • Develop watershed maps for identification of storm sewer outfalls.
    • Establish an ordinance to prohibit illicit discharges.
    • Develop procedures to locate and correct illicit discharges in all watersheds.
    • Educate the public on the hazards associated with illicit discharges.
    • Maintain a Household Hazardous Waste collection program.
  4. Construction Site Runoff Controls
    • Establish an ordinance to require erosion and sediment controls and proper waste disposal on construction sites.
    • Establish enforcement procedures, including plan review and site inspections.
    • Establish procedures for the consideration of information from the public.
  5. Post-Construction Runoff Controls
    • Implement changes to land use and site design principles to minimize water quality impacts from development.
    • Incorporate these changes into the zoning ordinance.
    • Examples include preservation of open space, minimization of directly connected impervious surfaces, protection of sensitive areas and cluster development.
  6. Pollution Prevention in Municipal Operations
    • Modify operation and maintenance practices to include pollution prevention.
    • Provide employee training on pollution prevention.
    • Incorporate water quality concerns into flood control projects.
    • Affected activities include park and open space maintenance, materials storage, waste management, fleet maintenance, building maintenance, construction activity and storm system maintenance.