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Georgetown County Stormwater Utility

Georgetown County Stormwater Utility. Chris Laude – County Engineer Zollie Green – Senior Engineer Chris Allen – Inspector Shelly Jordan – Quality/Billing Coordinator. What is Stormwater?.

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Georgetown County Stormwater Utility

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  1. Georgetown County Stormwater Utility Chris Laude – County Engineer Zollie Green – Senior Engineer Chris Allen – Inspector Shelly Jordan – Quality/Billing Coordinator

  2. What is Stormwater? • Rain or snow that falls on streets, parking areas, rooftops and other developed land and either flows directly into nearby streams or travels through drainage systems. • The flows are then discharged, untreated, into Georgetown County’s streams and creeks.

  3. What is a Stormwater Utility? • It is a County created, separate entity and fund that has been established to fund operations and maintenance functions on existing stormwater infrastructure, administration of the County’s federally mandated municipal permit, engineering and technical review staff, and the design and construction of capital improvements.

  4. Why do we have a stormwater utility fee? • After studying the issue of Georgetown County’s stormwater needs, County Council passed an ordinance establishing the stormwater enterprise fund after three readings on June 12th, 2007. • State and Federal mandates to ensure clean water are un-funded mandates. A stormwater fee is the most equitable revenue source to solve the County’s stormwater needs.

  5. The stormwater program will enable the County to comply with federal regulations as well as protect our community through improved drainage and protection of local waters. • As the County grows in population, the stormwater issues increase. • Increased development means more land disturbance. • Increased water usage means more potential for water pollution problems.

  6. Aging, deterioration and undersized stormwater systems currently in place need to be repaired, replaced and in some cases, established. This costs money. • If Georgetown County does not meet the standards, then we risk being fined thousands of dollars per day, which the County can ill afford to pay. • The enterprise fund is a necessary revenue source to offset the competition for dollars with other County needs.

  7. The County charges permitting fees for stormwater, which pay a portion of the cost for reviewing new development. In the future, additional state and federal program monies, such as grants, may be obtained for certain types of projects. Other sources of revenue funds.

  8. Who benefits from a stormwater management program? Everyone.

  9. Residents, business and industry owners, students, visitors and developers all benefit. It protects roadways, property and receiving streams and other waters. It addresses both flooding and water quality concerns.

  10. Who pays the fee? • Every parcel in Georgetown County with 400 square feet of impervious surface or more will pay a stormwater user fee. • Single family residential, multi-family residential and non-residential properties will pay the fee, including the County itself.

  11. Single Family Residential parcels will pay $52.00 per year or one ERU. • An Equivalent Runoff Unit (ERU) is used as the base unit for the stormwater utility fee. • One ERU is equal to 3,770 square feet of impervious surface. • Impervious surfaces are surfaces that can not effectively infiltrate rainfall (building rooftops, pavements, sidewalks, driveways, etc.), and that is not constructed using pervious pavement technology.

  12. Who is exempt from paying the fee? • No public or private parcel shall be exempt from Stormwater Management Utility service charges and fees. • Exemptions are public road rights-of-way used for general public transportation purposes. • Public road rights-of-way conveyed and accepted for maintenance by County Stormwater Management Utility service charges. • Railroad rights-of-way with a stone base and used only for trackage.

  13. Stormwater affects us all • Stormwater run-off carries contaminants and sediments back into our water table, which we use for bathing, drinking, and recreation. • Water Pollution issues stem from stormwater run-off, and the stormwater utility was created to deal with these potential pollution issues within Georgetown County.

  14. Stormwater pollution issues. • Pet Waste – Improperly disposed of animal waste contaminates our water table. • Pet waste contains contaminants such as pathogens and nutrients. Pathogens can cause illness. • Pet wastes enter our water resources when they are left on the land. When rain or snowfall occurs, a portion of the precipitation infiltrates into the ground. This process can result in the infiltration of the contaminants as well. In certain circumstances, this process can result in the contamination of groundwater, which may be providing drinking water to domestic wells.

  15. Contaminating our Waters • Water, which does not infiltrate the soil, runs across the land surface. During this process, pollutants on the land are picked up and ultimately transported to our waters. • Motor oil dumped on the ground and poured down a storm drain contaminates the water system. • Fertilizers and pesticides improperly administered in your lawn and surrounding lands also can potentially contaminate our water system.

  16. Stormwater run-off carries everything loose in it’s path back into the water table.

  17. Water Quality Affects More Than Just Us!

  18. Stormwater issues are a community concern and Georgetown County Stormwater is working hard to assist in protecting our clean water resources!

  19. Questions and Answers Session

  20. What is NPDES? • “National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System” • The Clean Water Act prohibits anybody from discharging "pollutants" through a "point source" into a "water of the United States" unless they have an NPDES permit. The permit will contain limits on what you can discharge, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that the discharge does not hurt water quality or people's health. In essence, the permit translates general requirements of the Clean Water Act into specific provisions tailored to the operations of each person discharging pollutants.

  21. NPDES Background • 1972 Clean Water Act • Administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) • Created NPDES permitting process • Multiple amendments • 1987 • An amendment to CWA called Water Quality Act required EPA to develop phased program to regulate storm water discharges under NPDES program.

  22. NPDES Storm Water Program • Point Source Pollution • Discharges from readily identifiable sources such as wastewater treatment plants or industrial facilities • Non-point Source Pollution • Discharges that are less easily identifiable such as runoff from urbanized or agricultural areas

  23. NPDES in South Carolina • South Carolina is an NPDES delegated state. • NPDES regulations are administered by South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). • Construction General Permit (CGP) is a component of NPDES.

  24. NPDES Phase II Construction General Permit • Issued February of 2005; appealed • Appealed settled in late 2005 • New Phase II CGP became effective on September 1, 2006 • Existing or ongoing permitted projects will be grandfathered under old regulations and not have to meet Phase II CGP requirements

  25. Who must obtain NPDES permit coverage? • All land disturbing activities greater than or equal to 1 acre. • Any disturbance within ½ mile of a receiving water body in the S.C. Coastal Zone (except individual single family homes not part of a subdivision development.)

  26. Requirements of CGP • Develop and implement Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) • Identification of operators to be working onsite • Sequence of construction • Locations of all BMPs necessary to minimize pollutants in stormwater discharges to meet applicable water quality standards. • Locations of Surface Waters of the State • Must be in compliance with all other applicable permits or CGP is invalid.

  27. Requirements of CGP • Must comply with Federal reporting requirements related to spills or releases or oils or other hazardous substances. • File Notice of Termination (NOT) when construction is complete • Retain all documentation required by permit for three years from time permit is terminated.

  28. What’s Coming SmallMunicipal Separated Storm Sewer System (MS4) -Unfunded Mandate from EPA to DHEC to Local Government -Six Elements of Program --Public Education --Public Involvement --Illicit Discharge --Construction Activities --Post Construction Municipal Activities

  29. Public Education • WHY • Increases Support for Program • Increases Compliance with Program • How • Newsletters • Website Information • Training Programs • Brochures • Public Services Announcements

  30. Public Participation & Involvement • Why • Educate Citizens • Forum for Reporting Problems • How • Public Notice Compliance Program • Citizen Panel Involvement • Community Clean-ups

  31. Illicit Discharges, Detection & Elimination • Why • Improve Water Quality • How • Detection and Elimination Program • Outfall Map Preparation • Outfall Inspections • Used Oil Recycling Program

  32. Construction Site Runoff • Why • It’s the Law of the Land • Site Runoff Carries Sediment and Pollution • Increasing Volume of Runoff Increases Flooding • How • Best Management Practices Requirements

  33. Post-Construction Runoff Control • Why • Untreated Runoff Contains Oil/Greases, Heavy Metals, Pesticides, Fertilizers and Pet Waste • How • Maintaining BMPs from Construction Phase • Retrofitting BMPs that are not Working • Non-Structural BMPs (Education, Pet Waste Pickup, Proper Use of Fertilizer and Pesticides)

  34. Municipal Activities-Pollution Prevention & Good Housekeeping • Why • County Maintains Roads, Ditches, Parks Landfill ect • How • Operations and Maintenance Pollution Prevention Plan • Employee Training Programs • Information Management System • Park and Open Space Maintenance Procedures

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