Stormwater Run-off Compliance at Construction Sites
Every construction site that disturbs one acre or more, or is less than one acre but part of a larger common plan of development that would disturb one acre or more, must comply with the State of California’s General Permit for Storm Water Discharges Associated with Construction and Land Disturbance Activities (Order No 2009-0009-DWQ).
Under State requirements, it is the responsibility of the landowner to obtain coverage under the State's General Permit prior to the commencement of construction activities. To apply for coverage, the landowner, or Legal Responsible Person (LRP) must electronically file Permit Registration Documents (PRDs), which include a Notice of Intent (NOI), a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), and other documents required by the General Permit, and mail the appropriate fee to the State Water Resources Control Board. This request to the State will provide, if approved, coverage under the State’s General NPDES permit for construction activities for each subject project. Coverage under the permit is not complete until the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) has issued a Waste Discharge Identification Number (WDID).
In addition to the modifications to the General Construction Permit, changes have also been made to Federal and State Stormwater discharge permits for municipalities that operate separate storm sewer systems. Cities with populations of less than 100,000, such as the City of Roseville at the time of Permit issuance, are now subject, are now subject to regulation under the State's General Permit for Small Municipalities with Separate Storm Sewer Systems. To comply with the State’s permit requirements, the City of Roseville developed a Stormwater Management Program which includes a construction site runoff control element.
For City Stormwater permitting, an identical site specific Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) shall also be submitted to the City of Roseville Development Services Department, Engineering Land Development Division, during the plan submittal/acceptance process.
For projects smaller than one acre in size and not part of a larger project, the City will require an erosion and sediment control plan which must include erosion and sediment control measures, or Best Management Practices (BMPs). The City’s existing Grading Ordinance requires the submission of a grading plan for processing 50 or more cubic yards of earthwork.
The General Permit for Construction Activity requires the SWPPP address water pollution control during all phases of construction. The SWPPP must outline the (BMPs) planned for use on the site to prevent pollutants from leaving the project site. The BMPs should include, but are not limited to:
- Erosion controls
- Wind erosion controls
- Sediment controls
- Non-Stormwater runoff controls
- Tracking controls
- Waste management controls
- Materials pollution controls
- Advanced treatment methods
For SWPPP development guidance logon to the California Stormwater Quality Association’s (CASQA) website at http://www.cabmphandbooks.com/ and proceed to the Construction Handbook section.
Stormwater discharges from activities such as clearing, grading, stockpiling or excavation are regulated under the State General Permit and by City Ordinance. Non-Stormwater discharges from construction sites are also monitored. Construction wastes such as the following must be managed properly to prevent runoff pollution:
- Discarded building materials
- Concrete truck washout
- Chemicals
- Litter
- Sanitary waste
For more detailed BMP information, go to http://www.cabmphandbooks.com/. For online training courses based on the California Stormwater Quality Association (CASQA) handbook, go to www.owp.csus.edu/research/.
City staff routinely inspects construction sites for compliance with the City’s Urban Stormwater Quality Management and Discharge Control Ordinance and verifies site specific Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) are implemented and maintained. The City’s Stormwater Inspector will evaluate the subject site by completing a Stormwater Construction Inspection Form during each SWPPP inspection which will be electronically sent to the project’s Qualified SWPPP Practitioner (QSP). Additionally, the Regional Water Quality Control Board staff may also, on occasion, inspect sites for General Permit compliance within the City. Should General Permit violations be identified, the owner/QSP could be notified by RWQCB staff and further corrective actions may be required. To help construction site managers with SWPPP requirements and enforcement procedures, a Stormwater Quality BMP Guidance Manual for Construction has been created and is available on the City’s website or at the Civic Center Permit Counter, located at 311 Vernon Street in downtown Roseville.
The ten steps below can assist the site’s QSP in NPDES Stormwater compliance:
- Keep your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) up to date and at the job site.
- Inspect all Best Management Practices (BMPs) before, during and after rain events. Keep written comments on failures, corrections, monitoring, and sampling results.
- Keep your SWPPP map current with BMP updates.
- Properly install and maintain your BMPs.
- Practice good housekeeping.
- Minimize tracking from construction entrances and exits.
- Sweep/vacuum streets and obtain inspector approval before washing them.
- Contain wash water from power washing operations and discharge it to porous areas.
- Maintain drain inlet protection bags and ensure that the areas around storm drains are kept clean.
- Implement effective erosion and sediment control measures on your construction site well before the first rain event.
To report construction runoff related problems, or to request a Stormwater inspection, contact Darrell Robbson, Stormwater Inspection, at (916) 774-5339.