Watch the video on Stormwater: Inspecting BMPs.
Don't expect, inspect! And when it comes to keeping ahead of jobsite inspectors, taking the time to make sure your BMPs are in order can save you considerable grief and money.
Best Management Practices (BMPs) are the best measures used on jobsites as part of a builder's Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). To help restore and maintain the nation's water, the United States Congress passed the Clean Water Act (CWA) in 1972. Under a mandate from the CWA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began requiring builders working on jobsites over 5 acres to create a SWPPP as part of the permitting process.
Soil erosion, fuel spills, and chemical contaminants can wash from the jobsite into storm drains that lead directly to rivers, lakes and the ocean. Once there, the pollution can choke aquatic life, destroy wetlands, and make the water unfit for swimming or fishing. BMPs like silt fences, shakers, and straw waddles help keep local waterways clean and the jobsite in compliance with state and federal laws. Fines can range from $10,000-$37,500 per day for violations of the CWA, so making sure that the BMPs are not only installed, but maintained and functioning properly, can save the builder substantial amounts of money.
When walking the jobsite and checking on the BMPs, here are a few things to look for:
- Check silt fencing and mend if needed. Tears or rends in the fence won't pass inspection and can easily let large amounts of material pass through the barrier.
- Check for sediment build-up behind the silt fence. Silt fences are designed to trap and contain soil eroding from the site, but if too much sediment builds up the fence could collapse or water could be diverted away from the screening material.
- Clean trash and debris build-up around storm drains after rainstorms. All trash and debris should be properly disposed of and not left to flow into local waterways.
- Check straw waddles to make sure they're still able to filter water properly around the jobsite and aren't letting excess soil seep by.
- Check the shaker and make sure the sediment build-up isn't too great to prevent the shaker from loosening and catching soil and mud from vehicles as they exit the jobsite.
Inspecting and maintaining your practices for preventing storm water pollution is essential for not only compliance with government regulations, but also to help keep our waterways clean. Not only will you avoid costly fines and work delays, but the benefits of a clean and healthy environment are enjoyed by everyone.
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