|
Overview
The primary
mission of the Butler County Ohio Storm Water District is to
safeguard public health and protect the environment through the
implementation of the U.S. EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES).
Mandated
by Congress under the Clean Water Act, the NPDES is a national
program for addressing sources of storm water discharges which
adversely affect the quality of our nation's waters. The program
requires the implementation of controls designed to prevent harmful
pollutants from being washed by storm water runoff into local
water bodies.
Storm water
discharges are a concern because they contain potentially high
levels of pollutants. According to the U.S. EPA, polluted storm
water runoff is a leading cause of impairment to the nearly 40
percent of surveyed U.S. water bodies which do not meet water
quality standards. Concentrated development substantially increases
impervious surfaces, such as city streets, driveways, parking
lots, and sidewalks, on which pollutants from human activities
settle and remain until a storm event washes them into nearby
storm drains. Common pollutants include pesticides, fertilizers,
oils, salt, litter and other debris, and sediment. Another concern
is the possible illicit connections of septic systems and sanitary
sewers, which can result in fecal coliform bacteria entering
the storm drain system. Storm water runoff picks up and transports
these and other harmful pollutants then discharges them - untreated
- to waterways via storm drain systems. When left untreated,
these discharges can result in fish kills, the destruction of
wildlife and wildlife habitats, a loss in aesthetic value, and
contamination of drinking water supplies and recreational waterways
that can threaten public health.
Since June
2002, Butler County has actively solicited input from local government
and
local interest groups in the development of the Butler County
Storm Water District. The purpose of the District is to ensure
all member communities (co-permittees) are in compliance with
the requirements of the NPDES Phase II permit.
March 2003
marked the beginning of the first permit cycle, which requires
the Butler County Storm Water District to fully execute a Storm
Water Management Plan (SWMP) within five years. The purpose of
this plan is to reduce the discharge of pollutants to the Maximum
Extent Practicable (MEP), to protect water quality, and to satisfy
the appropriate water quality requirements of Ohio Revised Code
(ORC) 6111 and the Clean Water Act.
The SWMP
is comprised of six Minimum Control Measures (MCM), including:
1. Public education and outreach
2. Public involvement and participation
3. Elimination of illicit discharges
4. Construction site runoff control
5. Post-construction runoff control
6. Pollution prevention /Good Housekeeping
The SWMP
addresses each of the six MCM's listed above and provides a framework
of Best Management Practices (BMP) to improve the quality of
runoff to area streams and rivers. The MCM's are expected to
result in the reduction of pollutants discharged within Butler
County. Examples of locally identified water quality problems
include, but are not limited to, organic enrichment, habitat
and flow alteration, nutrients, and siltation. The six MCM's
will address identified water quality pollutants.
Please note:
The SWMP addresses water quality issues only. Flooding and drainage
issues are not addressed under the NPDES Phase II program. If
you would like the Storm Water District to consider flooding
and drainage related issues for your community, please contact
your elected officials and make them aware of your concerns.
The Storm Water District has a program ready to deal with local
flooding issues, but it requires a formal request from township
and municipal officials to initiate. Additional assessments will
be necessary to fund capital improvement projects.
To review
the Butler County SWMP in detail, please click on the following
link:
Storm
Water Management Plan
The following
websites can provide additional information concerning the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency NPDES Phase II program:
U.S.
EPA - Storm Water Phase II: Final Rule
https://www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater-rules-and-notices-final-rules
Ohio EPA
- Storm Water Program Phase II Fact Sheet
https://www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater-phase-ii-final-rule-fact-sheet-series
If you have
questions or require additional information, please contact:
Bob Lentz
Storm Water Coordinator
513-785-4120
|
