(Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System)
The United States Congress directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue further regulations to identify and regulate additional stormwater discharges that were considered to be contributing to national water quality impairments. On December 8, 1999, the EPA issued regulations that expanded the existing NPDES Storm Water Program to include discharges from small MS4s in “urbanized areas” serving populations of less than 100,000 and stormwater discharges from construction activities that disturb more than one acre of land. These regulations are referred to as the NPDES Phase II Storm Water Program. The urbanized area portion of Lake County met these criteria and was consequently designated as an MS4 entity. In the State of Indiana, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is responsible for the development and oversight of the NPDES Phase II Program.
IDEM initiated adoption of the Phase II Rules which was codified as 327 IAC 15-13 (Rule 13). Rule 13 became effective on August 6, 2003 and requires designated MS4 entities to apply for permit coverage by submitting a Notice of Intent (NOI) and developing Storm Water Quality Management Plans (SWQMPs) through a phased submittal process. The IDEM’s phased submittal requirements includes the implementation of a Stormwater Quality Management Plan which was approved on March 1, 2005.
MCM-1 Public Education and Outreach
Because stormwater runoff is generated from dispersed land surfaces-pavements, yards, driveways, and roofs-efforts to control stormwater pollution must consider individual, household, and public behaviors and activities that can generate pollution from these surfaces.These common individual behaviors have the potential to generate stormwater pollution:
* littering
* disposing of trash and recyclables
* disposing of pet-waste
* applying lawn-chemicals
* washing cars
* changing motor-oil on impervious
* driveways
* household behaviors like disposing leftover paint and chemicals
It takes individual behavior change and proper practices to control such pollution. Therefore it is important to make the public sufficiently aware and concerned about the significance of their behavior for stormwater pollution, through information and education, that they change improper behaviors. Phase II MS4s are required to educate their community on the pollution potential of common activities, and increase awareness of the direct links between land activities, rainfall-runoff, storm drains, and their local water resources. Most importantly the requirement is to give the public clear guidance on steps and specific actions that they can take to reduce their stormwater pollution-potential.
MCM-2 Public Participation and Involvement
A regulatory agency or municipal office working alone can only be effective in reducing stormwater pollution if it has the participation, partnership, and combined efforts of other groups in the community all working towards the same goal. The point of public involvement is to build on community capital—the wealth of interested citizens and groups—to help spread the message on preventing stormwater pollution, to undertake group activities that highlight stormwater pollution, and contribute volunteer community actions to restore and protect local water resources. Phase II MS4s are required to follow all state and local public notice requirements when implementing their stormwater program. However, to be effective, opportunities for public involvement should be built into the fundamental process of community stormwater management. For example, an MS4 can offer opportunities to the public to participate in stormwater program development and implementation, through positions on a local stormwater management panel. Public involvement also includes facilitating opportunities for direct action, educational, and volunteer programs such as riparian planting days, volunteer monitoring programs, storm drain marking, or stream-clean up programs. Groups such as watershed groups and conservation corps teams who want to participate in promoting environmental causes should be encouraged and offered opportunities to participate in the stormwater management program.
MCM-3 Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination
Illicit discharges are generally any discharge into a storm drain system that is not composed entirely of stormwater. The exceptions include water from fire fighting activities and discharges from facilities already under an NPDES permit. Illicit discharges are a problem because, unlike wastewater which flows to a wastewater treatment plant, stormwater generally flows to waterways without any additional treatment. Illicit discharges often include pathogens, nutrients, surfactants, and various toxic pollutants.Phase II MS4 entities are required to develop programs to detect and eliminate illicit discharges. This primarily includes developing:
* a storm sewer system map
* an ordinance prohibiting illicit discharges,
* enforcement
* a plan to detect and address these illicit discharges, and
* an education program on the hazards of illicit discharges.An effective illicit discharge program needs to be both reactive and proactive. The programs are reactive in addressing spills and other illicit discharges to the storm drain system that are found. These programs must also be proactive in preventing and eliminating illicit discharges through education, training and enforcement.
MCM-4 Construction Site Storm Water Run-Off Control
Uncontrolled stormwater runoff from construction sites can significantly impact rivers, lakes and estuaries. Sediment in waterbodies from construction sites can reduce the amount of sunlight reaching aquatic plants, clog fish gills, smother aquatic habitat and spawning areas, and impede navigation.Phase II MS4s are required to develop a program to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff to the MS4 for construction sites disturbing one or more acres. This primarily includes developing:
* An ordinance,
* Requirements to implement erosion and sediment control BMPs,
* Requirements to control other waste at the construction site,
* Procedures for reviewing construction site plans,
* Procedures to receive and consider info submitted by public, and
* Procedures for inspections and enforcement of stormwater requirements
MCM-5 Post Construction Storm Water Management (New Development & Redevelopment)
For the past two decades the rate of land development across the country has been more than two times greater than the rate of population growth. If unchecked, the increased impervious surface associated with this development will increase stormwater volume and degrade water quality, which can harm lakes, rivers, streams, and coastal areas.The best way to mitigate stormwater impacts from new developments is to use practices to treat, store, and infiltrate runoff onsite before it can affect water bodies downstream. Innovative site designs that reduce imperviousness and smaller-scale low impact development practices dispersed throughout a site are excellent ways to achieve the goals of reducing flows and improving water quality.Phase II MS4s are required to address post-construction stormwater runoff from new development and redevelopments that disturb one or more acres. This primarily includes developing:
* Strategies to implement a combination of structural and non-structural BMPs
* An ordinance to address post-construction runoff, and a
* Program to ensure adequate long-term operation and maintenance of BMPs
MCM-6 Pollution Prevention & Good Housekeeping (Municipal Operations)
Local goverment operations conduct numerous activities that may pose a threat to water quality if practices and procedures are not in place to prevent pollutants from entering the stormwater conveyance. These activities include winter road maintenance, minor road repairs and other infrastructure work, automobile fleet maintenance, landscaping and park maintenance, and building maintenance. Municipalities also conduct activities that remove pollutants from the MS4 when performed properly, such as parking lot and street sweeping and storm drain system cleaning. Finally, municipal facilities can be sources of stormwater pollutants if BMPs are not in place to contain spills, manage trash, and handle nonstormwater discharges. This table lists the pollutants that are typically associated with municipal facilities and municipal activities [PDF – 55 KB – 1 pp].Phase II MS4 entities are required to train staff on ways to protect stormwater, particularly when maintaining MS4 infrastructure and performing daily municipal activities, such as park and open space maintenance, fleet and building maintenance, new construction and land disturbances, and stormwater system maintenance. This primarily includes:
* Developing inspection and maintenance procedures and schedules for stormwater BMPs,
* Implementing BMPs to treat pollutants from transportation infrastructure, maintenance areas, storage yards, sand and salt storage areas, and waste transfer stations,
* Establishing procedures for properly disposing of pollutants removed from the MS4 body
* Identifying ways to incorporate water quality controls into new and existing flood management projects.
OTHER DOCUMENTS
| Part A : Notice of Intent | Copy on File @ New Chicago Town Hall 122 Huber Blvd. Hobart, IN 46342 |
| Part B : Baseline Characterization | Copy on File @ New Chicago Town Hall 122 Huber Blvd. Hobart, IN 46342 |
| Part C: Storm Water Qaulity Management | Copy on File @ New Chicago Town Hall 122 Huber Blvd. Hobart, IN 46342 |