The Importance of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System

The National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) was created in order to help regulate and monitor point sources of pollution into surface waters. As part of the Clean Water Act of 1972 Section 402, the NPDES was created as a permit program for any type of facility that has a point source of water discharge (EPA, 2014). According to federal law, a basic definition of a point source can be anything such as: a pipe, tunnel, ditch, manhole, or a visible source that is clearly discharging wastewater.

Any facilities that have a point source of discharge must obtain a permit for their wastewater that discharges into surface waters. The only exception is individual homes with no discharge into any surface waters (EPA, 2014). Homes can discharge wastewater using a septic system or send it to a treatment facility.

Since the creation of the NPDES, water quality has improved significantly. It monitors and regulates a variety of pollutants, including: heated waters, sediment, toxic chemicals, and radioactive waste.

Any private or industrial facility that discharges wastewater into surface waters must obtain a permit. They must also follow set NPDES regulations and are encouraged to follow best management practices (BMPs). BMPs are non-enforced guidelines to help permit holders to better manage their wastewater discharge.

Guidelines can include information like better products or methods to manage discharge. Permits also outline the use of BMPs, effluent discharge limits, and reporting requirements (SCDHEC, 2013). A good example would be a stormwater treatment plant. Stormwater contains a variety chemicals and pollutants that runoff from private homes, streets, and buildings.

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If these pollutants go unregulated, they could negatively affect the quality of water.

The EPA considers most stormwater discharges a point source that needs a NPDES permit. Since stormwater collects chemicals, sediment, and debris from different sources it is one of the main concerns for water quality. If the NPDES program was not in place, the effects of the discharge from stormwater would be very adverse in water quality (EPA, 2012).

The quality of water would be significantly affected by the addition of unregulated stormwater discharge into the surface waters. It is unknown where substances and debris directly come from, but it is known they collect in sewage systems from the runoff of any type of building or residence. The NPDES is important to water quality and to the Clean Water Act. It provides significant quality standards and BMPs in order to protect water quality.

A Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) is defined as anything that is man- made to control water flow which eventually leads to a natural water source. Some examples include roadside ditches, drainage creeks, pipes, tunnels, curbs, and storm drains. In order to maintain and improve these MS4’s a yearly report is required.

According to the 2010 MS4 Annual Report, “You are providing the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) with a summary of your status of compliance with permit conditions, including an assessment of the appropriateness of your identified BMP’s and progress towards achieving your identified measurable goals for each of the minimum control measures as required by the MS4 Permit.” (MS4 Annual Report, 2011). Additionally required is an evaluation report for the NPDES which is also reviewed by MPCA. In its report, the MPCA states it is “consistent with 40 CFR §122.37.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is assessing the status of the program nation-wide” (MPCA, n.d.). “The report forms cover topics such as: general contact information, water quality priorities, public education, public participation, construction, illicit discharge elimination, stormwater management for municipal operations, long-term stormwater measures, program resources, and grading/measuring progress” (MS4 Annual Report, 2011).

In regards to how all of this relates to the city of St. Cloud, starting with MS4’s, the city uses the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (SWPPP) to follow the unique guidelines for the MS4 general permit. They also follow the topics in the report forms for MPCA. The City of St. Cloud has many sources for funding its stormwater programs. These sources include sales tax revenue, state aid, grants, cost-sharing, special assessments, and general revenue (City of St. Cloud, 2011). Increased water runoff leads to higher cost, and another concern is what to do with the water before it is discharged back into a natural water source.

The first thing is to make sure treatment is cleaning the water. This is done by sediment tanks or rain gardens, which would clean the water more naturally. Secondly, reduce the overall amount of runoff by diverting the water into a holding pond. Lastly, get the stormwater back into the groundwater instead of dumping it into the Mississippi.

The Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (SWPPP) is a collection of permits and best management practices (BMPs). These permits and BMPs help control and reduce pollution being deposited into waterways. The SWPPP is part of the permitting programs established by the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). There are six areas that the City of St. Cloud focuses on for their SWPPP to stay in compliance with the NPDES; Public Education and outreach, public participation and involvement, illicit discharge detection and elimination, construction site runoff controls, post- construction stormwater management, and pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal operations (City of St. Cloud, 2009).

There are also annual inspections to make sure everything is in compliance of the permit and to ensure BMPs. The City of St. Cloud has implemented programs for the general public to raise awareness and get the community involved. The first few BMPs put in place were mailing information to residents about the effects of stormwater runoff and more especially to places where stormwater pollution is a higher concern. Educating and informing the public regarding the effects of stormwater might give a better chance for them to participate in the SWPPP.

To help with illicit discharges, the first BMP is to have a detailed map of every water sewer pipe and structural pollution control device in the City of St. Cloud. It also requires annual updates of the map and an inventory on all the pollution control devices (City of St. Cloud, 2009). BMPs were also implemented to help with the actual illicit discharges. There would be more training specifically for St. Cloud city workers who deal with or work around the discharge points. The training helps workers point out and identifies potential hazards.

A large portion of the SWPPP is to help with stormwater pollution and erosion during construction projects, but they have to be at least an acre or more in size to fall under the SWPPP. Construction sites must control their erosion and sediments within MPCA regulations. They must also use BMPs to deal with problems onsite. After the construction, a responsible department must review the permanent stormwater plans and BMPs. Each permanent and nonpermanent BMP structure and stormwater plans will be annually checked to make sure they are in compliance with the state’s and city’s pollution requirements. In conclusion the City of St.

Cloud uses the SWPPP to help to stay in compliance with the NPDES by setting up BMP’s, permits, and raise public awareness to help with the stormwater pollution.