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What is Storm Water?

Storm water is exactly what it sounds like. When it rains, or when snow melts, water that is not soaked into the ground flows across the land and may go directly into a storm drain and straight to a nearby river or creek. This rain water can pick up pollutants along the way such as sediment, fertilizers, pesticides, vehicle fluids (motor oil, gasoline, and antifreeze), paints, trash, and pet waste. Therefore, it is extremely important to minimize the amount of pollutants that storm water can pick up as it flows to our area rivers to maintain the integrity and quality of these waters.

NPDES Phase II Storm Water Program

On December 8, 1999, Phase II of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program was published in the Federal Register. Phase II of NPDES requires permit coverage for storm water discharges from regulated municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s). This Federal regulation went into affect March 10, 2003. In response to Phase II of NPDES, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management enacted Rule 13 (327 IAC 15-13) and revised Rule 5 (327 IAC 15-5).

Under these new State and Federal regulations, Allen County is required to establish a regulatory mechanism for regulating storm water quality management. In the EPA's efforts to dramatically improve and prolong water quality for our nation, one of the main objectives of the NPDES Phase II regulations is to reduce and retain sediment onsite during and after construction. Hence, the requirements of Rule 13 apply to all persons who are involved in construction activity (which includes clearing, grading, and excavating) that results in the disturbance of one (1) acre or more of land area. The Allen County Surveyor requires a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), which includes erosion and sediment control measures and materials handling procedures, to be submitted as part of the construction plans and specifications. The SWPPP and post-construction pollution prevention plan will need to be reviewed and approved by the Allen County Surveyor's Office before any site grading activity can take place. (Please see the Allen County Stormwater Management Ordinance for further information).

The Phase II regulations mandate six minimum control measures to be implemented for compliance. These measures are as follows:

• Public Education and Outreach - Requires that the constituents be educated about the impacts of polluted storm water runoff on receiving waters and also provide ways to prevent storm water pollution.
• Public Participation and Involvement - This minimum control measure requires that opportunities be provided to constituents to participate in the storm water management program development and implementation.
• Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination - Requires a plan to be developed and implemented to detect, address, and eliminate illegal dumping into the rivers, streams, and water bodies.
• Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control - Requires the development of an ordinance and construction program that controls polluted runoff from construction activities that disturb one or more acres of land. The construction program must include a permitting process, erosion control plan review process, site inspections, and enforcement.
• Post-Construction Stormwater Runoff Control - Requires the development of an ordinance and post-construction program that addresses runoff from new development and redevelopment areas that disturb one or more acres of land.
• Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping - Requires the development and implementation of a program to prevent or reduce polluted runoff from municipal operations.