• As of January 1, 2018 The brand new logo that was created and released in 2017 will be the only official logo in affect and allowed to be used on any electronic media however, any such media like truck wraps, stationary, and postcards will be grandfathered in. Contributing Members will be allowed to use the UAMCC logo in any advertising. Permission to use the logo otherwise must be in writing. Logos used in electronic formats (ie: Websites, forums, etc.) must be linked back to the member’s profile in the UAMCC directory. Contributing Members are members that are paid and current with their dues. Please contact info@uamcc.org with any questions.

Clean Water Act - Here's a good place to start.

Tony Shelton

Environmental Consultant / Past Director
UAMCC member Kristopher Pettit informed me that he had been looking at some of the BMP's sent to him by someone else and it was confusing.

It is counterproductive to produce a bunch of screenshot documents that few can understand. That keeps many in the dark. Sometimes I think that has been the goal of some of our leaders of the past, to keep contractors in the dark so they don't question the direction that some in the industry have chosen to take regarding reclaim.

Local and national regulations are about 99% unrelated to what we do. So sometimes it's hard to sort through all the stuff that has nothing to do with us and get to the meat of the documents.

Here is a place to start that might help you as you are reading your own local documents. This is a fairly easy to read glossary of terms that are usually used in the documents. This on is for California, but they mostly all use the same terms.

Once you've read through these it might make it easier to decipher the documents.

Most of these terms have little or nothing to do with us. In the cases where the terms are important to us I've put them in BOLD and in some cases put some notes to further explain.

PLEASE take a look at the items in BOLD and get to know them. I've tried to make simple explanations next to them so you can easily pick up what it is talking about.


Basin Plan - Water Quality Control Plan developed by the Regional Board for the Santa Ana
River Watershed.

Beneficial Uses - The uses of water necessary for the survival or well being of man, plants,
and wildlife. These uses of water serve to promote the tangible and intangible economic,
social, and environmental goals. "Beneficial Uses" that may be protected against include, but
are not limited to: domestic, municipal, agricultural and industrial supply; power generation;
recreation; aesthetic enjoyment; navigation; and preservation and enhancement of fish,
wildlife, and other aquatic resources or preserves. Existing beneficial uses are uses that were
attained in the surface or ground water on or after November 28, 1975; and potential beneficial
uses are uses that would probably develop in future years through the implementation of
various control measures. "Beneficial Uses" are equivalent to "Designated Uses" under federal
law. [California Water Code Section 13050(f)]. Beneficial Uses for the Receiving Waters are
identified in the Basin Plan.
The best economically achievable technology that will result in reasonable further progress
toward the national goal of eliminating the discharge of all pollutants is determined in
accordance with regulations issued by the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator.
Factors relating to the assessment of best available technology shall take into account the age
of equipment and facilities involved, the process employed, the engineering aspects of the
application of various types of control techniques, process changes, the cost of achieving such
effluent reduction, non-water quality environmental impact (including energy requirements),
and such other factors as the permitting authority deems appropriate.
Best Available Technology (BAT) - BAT is the acronym for best available technology
economically achievable. BAT is the technology-based standard established by congress in
CWA section 402(p)(3)(A) for industrial dischargers of storm water. Technology-based
standards establish the level of pollutant reductions that dischargers must achieve, typically by
treatment or by a combination of treatment and best management practices, or BMPs. For
example, secondary treatment (or the removal of 85% suspended solids and BOD) is the BAT
for suspended solid and BOD removal from a sewage treatment plant. BAT generally
emphasizes treatment methods first and pollution prevention and source control BMPs
secondarily. (This is important to us: we are expected to use the BAT to the extent that it is practical and feasible. In other words, technology might be available for us to bring a big blow dryer out to evaporate the runoff water, then vacuum the dry dust up afterwards, but it is not feasible. The time and cost would make it prohibitive. This is also what is happening in some of the cases of reclaim.)


Best Conventional Technology (BCT) - BCT is an acronym for Best Conventional
Technology. BCT is the treatment techniques, processes and procedure innovations, and
operating methods that eliminate or reduce chemical, physical, and biological pollutant
constituents.


Best Management Practices - Best Management Practices (BMPs) are defined in 40 CFR
122.2 as schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, maintenance procedures, and other
management practices to prevent or reduce the pollution of waters of the United States. BMPs
also include treatment requirements, operating procedures and practices to control plant site
runoff, spillage or leaks, sludge or waste disposal, or drainage from raw material storage. In
the case of municipal storm water permits, BMPs are typically used in place of numeric effluent
limits.

Bioaccumulate - The progressive accumulation of contaminants in the tissues of organisms
through any route including respiration, ingestion, or direct contact with contaminated water,
sediment, pore water, or dredged material to a higher concentration than in the surrounding
environment. Bioaccumulation occurs with exposure and is independent of the tropic level.

Bioassessment - The use of biological community information to evaluate the biological
integrity of a water body and its watershed. With respect to aquatic ecosystems,
bioassessment is the collection and analysis of samples of the benthic macroinvertebrate
community together with physical/habitat quality measurements associated with the sampling
site and the watershed to evaluate the biological condition (i.e. biological integrity) of a water
body.

Biological Integrity - Defined in Karr J.R. and D.R. Dudley. 1981. Ecological perspective on
water quality goals. Environmental Management 5:55-68 as: "A balanced, integrated,
adaptive community of organisms having a species composition, diversity, and functional
organization comparable to that of natural habitat of the region." Also referred to as ecosystem
health.

CalTrans - California Department of Transportation

CEQA - California Environmental Quality Act (Section 21000 et seq. of the California Public
Resources Code).

Clean Water Act Section 402(p) - [33 USC 1342(p)] is the federal statute requiring municipal
and industrial dischargers to obtain NPDES permits for their discharges of storm water.

Clean Water Act Section 303(d) Listed Water Body - is an impaired water body in which
water quality does not meet applicable water quality standards and/or is not expected to meet
water quality standards, even after the application of technology-based pollution controls
required by the CWA. The discharge of urban runoff to these water bodies by the Co
permittees is significant because these discharges can cause or contribute to violations of
applicable water quality standards.

Construction Site - Any project, including projects requiring coverage under the General

Construction Permit, that involves soil disturbing activities including, but not limited to, clearing,
grading, disturbances to ground such as stockpiling, and excavation

Contamination - As defined in the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, contamination is
"an impairment of the quality of waters of the State by waste to a degree which creates a
hazard to the public health through poisoning or through the spread of disease."

'Contamination' includes any equivalent effect resulting from the disposal of waste whether or
110t Waters of the U.S. are affected.

Criteria - The numeric values and the narrative standards that represent contaminant
concentrations that are not to be exceeded in the receiving environmental media (surface
water, ground water, sediment) to protect beneficial uses.

CWA - Federal Clean Water Act

CWC - California Water Code

Debris - Debris is defined as the remains of anything destroyed or broken, or accumulated
loose fragments of rock. (This term is very important in our field of work)

Development Projects - New development or redevelopment with land disturbing activities;
structural development, including construction or installation of a building or structure, the
creation of impervious surfaces, public agency projects, and land subdivision.

Dry Season - June 1 through September 30 of each year, unless specified otherwise in an
approved TMDL Implementation Plan.

Effluent Limitations - Means any restriction on quantities, discharge rates, and
concentrations of pollutants which are discharged from point sources into Waters of the United
States, waters of the "contiguous zone," orthe ocean. (40 CFR §122.2)

Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) - Areas that include but are not limited to all
Clean Water Act Section 303(d) impaired water bodies; areas designated as Areas of Special
Biological Significance by the State Water Resources Control Board (Water Quality Control
Plan for the Santa Ana River Basin (1994) and amendments); water bodies designated with
the RARE beneficial use by the State Water Resources Control Board (Water Quality Control
Plan for the Santa Ana River Basin (1994) and amendments); areas designated as preserves
or their equivalent under the Natural Communities Conservation Program (Multiple Species
Habitat Conservation Plan, MSHCP) within the Cities and County of San Bernardino; and any
other equivalent environmentally sensitive areas which have been identified by the
Co-Permittees.

Erosion - The process whereby material (such as sediment) is detached and entrained in
water or air and can be transported to a different location. Chemical erosion involves materials
that are dissolved and removed and transported.

GIS - Geographical Information Systems

Grading - The cutting and/or filling of the land surface to a desired slope or elevation.

Green Infrastructure - Generally refers to technologically feasible and cost-effective systems
and practices that use or mimic natural processes to infiltrate, evapotranspirate, or use
stormwater or runoff on the site where it is generated. Green infrastructure is used
interchangeably with low impact development (LID). See LID. (Very important - we need to be aware of structures that are already built to filter the runoff such as gas stations an shopping malls. Reclaim in many of those situations results in no additional environmental protection at the expense of air quality because of the extra equipment required to run the reclaim systems)

Hazardous Material - Any substance that poses a threat to human health or the environment
due to its toxicity, corrosiveness, ignitability, explosive nature or chemical reactivity. These
also include materials named by the U.S. EPA to be reported if a designated quantity of the
material is spilled into the waters of the United States or emitted into the environment. (We need to know what is considered Hazardous material)


HCOC - Hydrologic Condition of Concern - Condition when a proposed hydrologic change is
deemed to have the potential to cause significant impacts on downstream channels and
aquatic habitats, alone or in conjunction with impacts of other projects.
Hydromodification - the "alteration of the hydrologic characteristics of coastal and non
coastal waters, which in turn could cause degradation of water resources"90(USEPA, 2007).
The change in the natural watershed hydrologic processes and runoff characteristics (Le.,
interception, infiltration, overland flow, interflow and groundwater flow) caused by urbanization
or other land use changes that may result in increased stream flows and sediment transport.

ICIID - Illicit Connection/Illegal Discharge

Illicit Connection - Illicit Connection means any connection to the MS4 that is prohibited
under local, state, or federal statutes, ordinances, codes, or regulations.

Illicit Discharge - Any discharge to a municipal separate storm sewer that is prohibited under
local, state, or federal statutes, ordinances, codes, or regulations. The term illicit discharge
includes all non-storm water discharges except discharges pursuant to an NPDES permit,
discharges that are identified in Section V, Efnuent Limitations and Discharge Specifications, of
this Order, and discharges authorized by the Regional Board. (Our runoff is considered illicit discharge unless we have permission via bmps to discharge into the storm drain. We need to know our local laws in order to not be guilty of illicit discharge. NOTE: Illicit discharge does not mean we have HARMED the environment, it means we have discharged without permission)


Impaired Waterbody - Section 303(b) of the CWA requires each of California's Regional
Water Quality Control Boards to routinely monitor and assess the quality of waters of their
respective regions. If this assessment indicates that Beneficial Uses are not met, then that
waterbody must be listed under Section 303(d) of the CWA as an Impaired Waterbody.

Isopluvial - A line on a map drawn through geographical points having the same pluvial (rain,
precipitation) index.

Land Disturbance - The clearing, grading, excavation, stockpiling, or other construction
activity that results in the possible mobilization of soils or other Pollutants into the MS4. This
specifically does not include routine maintenance activity to maintain the original line and
grade, hydraulic capacity, or original purpose of the facility. This also does not include
emergency construction activities required to protect public health and safety. The Permittees
should first confirm with Regional Board staff if they believe that a particular routine
maintenance activity is exempt under this definition from the General Construction Activity
Storm Water Permit or other Orders issued by the Regional Board.
Load Allocations (LA) - Distribution or assignment of TMDL Pollutant loads to entities or
sources for existing and future nonpoint sources, including background loads.
Local Implementation Plan - Document describing an individual Permittee's implementation
procedures for compliance with the MS4 Permit, including ordinances, databases, plans, and
reporting materials.

Low Impact Development (LID) - A storm water management and land development strategy
that combines a hydrologically functional site design with pollution prevention measures to
compensate for land development impacts on hydrology and water quality. LID techniques
mimic the site predevelopment site hydrology by using site design techniques that store,
infiltrate, evapotranspire, bio-filter or detain runoff close to its source (LID is the method of building structures to filter their own waste on property. LID is our friend, it keeps runoff ON THE PROPERTY where it belongs)



MEP (Maximum Extent Practicable) - Is not defined in the CWA; it refers to management
practices, control techniques, and system design and engineering methods for the control of
pollutants taking into account considerations of synergistic, additive, and competing factors,
including, but not limited to pollutant removal effectiveness, regulatory compliance, gravity of
the problem, public acceptance, social benefits, cost and technological feasibility.
MEP is the technology-based standard established by Congress in CWA section
402(p)(3)(B)(iii) that operators of MS4s must meet. Technology-based standards establish the
level of pollutant reductions that dischargers must achieve, typically by treatment or by a
combination of source control and treatment control BMPs. MEP generally emphasizes
pollution prevention and source control BMPs primarily (as the first line of defense) in
combination with treatment methods serving as a backup (additional line of defense). MEP
considers economics and is generally, but not necessarily, less stringent than BAT. A definition
for MEP is not provided either in the statute or in the regulations. Instead, the definition of MEP
is dynamic and will be defined by the following process over time: municipalities propose their
definition of MEP by way of their urban runoff management programs. Their total collective and
individual activities conducted pursuant to the urban runoff management programs becomes
their proposal for MEP as it applies both to their overall effort, as well as to specific activities
(e.g., MEP for street sweeping, or MEP for MS4 maintenance). In the absence of a proposal
acceptable to the Regional Board, the Regional Board defines MEP.
Municipal Storm Water Conveyance System - (See Municipal Separate Storm Sewer
System or MS4).



Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) - MS4 is an acronym for Municipal
Separate Storm Sewer System. A Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System is a conveyance
or system of conveyances (including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch
basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, natural drainage features or channels, modified natural
channels, man-made channels, or storm drains): (i) Owned or operated by a State, city town,
borough, county, parish, district, association, or other public body (created by or pursuant to
State law) having jurisdiction over disposal of sewage, industrial wastes, storm water, or other
wastes; (ii) Designated or used for collecting of conveying storm water; (iii) Which is not a
combined sewer; (iv) Which is not part of the Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) as
defined at 40 CFR 122.2. (The MS4 is now defined as anything on public property that leads to the storm drain or to waters of the US. That is important to know)


National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) - A national program under
Section 402 of the Clean Water Act for regulation of discharges of pollutants from point
sources to waters of the United States. Discharges are illegal unless authorized by an NPDES
permit. (We are not an industry that is required to have an NPDES permit. We operate UNDER the NPDES permit of the state or municipality that holds the NPDES permit for our area, NOTE, smaller cities have no NPDES permit at all)



NOI [Notice of Intent] - A NOI is an application for coverage under the General Stormwater
Permits.


Non-Point Source Pollution (NPS) - Non point source refers to diffuse, widespread sources
of pollution. These sources may be large or small, but are generally numerous throughout a
watershed. Non Point Sources include but are not limited to urban, agricultural, or industrial
areas, roads, highways, construction sites, communities served by septic systems, recreational
boating activities, timber harvesting, mining, livestock grazing, as well as physical changes to
stream channels, and habitat degradation. NPS pollution can occur year round any time
rainfall, snowmelt, irrigation, or any other source of water runs over land or through the ground,
picks up pollutants from these numerous, diffuse sources and deposits them into rivers, lakes,
and coastal waters or introduces them into ground water. (Our runoff is considered NPS if it contains pollution)


Non-Storm Water - Non-storm water consists of all discharges to and from a storm water
conveyance system that do not originate from precipitation events (Le., all discharges from a
conveyance system other than storm water). Non-storm water includes illicit discharges, non
prohibited discharges, and NPDES permitted discharges. (Our runoff is considered Non-Storm Water, that doesn't necessarily mean it is prohibited)


NOT - Notice of Termination - Formal notice to the Regional Board of intent to terminate water
discharge for projects covered under a General Stormwater Permit.

Nuisance - As defined in the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act a nuisance is
"anything which meets all of the following requirements: 1) Is injurious to health, or is indecent,
or offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property, so as to interfere with
the comfortable enjoyment of life or property. 2) Affects at the same time an entire community
or neighborhood, or any considerable number of persons, although the extent of the
annoyance or damage inflicted upon individuals may be unequal. 3) Occurs during, or as a
result of, the treatment or disposal of wastes."


Numeric Effluent Limitations - A quantitative limitation on pollutant concentrations or levels
to protect beneficial uses and water quality objectives of a water body.

Nurdles - A plastic pellet (typically less than 5 mm diameter) also known as pre-production
plastic pellet or plastic resin pellet.

Open Space - Any parcel or area of land or water that is essentially unimproved or devoted to
an open-space use for the purposes of (1) the preservation of natural resources, (2) the
managed production of resources, (3) outdoor recreation, or (4) public health and safety.
[Riverside County General Plan, adopted October 7,2003. Technical Appendix A, Glossary]

Order - Order No. R8-2010-0036 (NPDES No. CAS618036)

Outfall - Means a Point Source as defined by 40 CFR 122.2 a, the point where a municipal
separate storm sewer discharges to Waters of the United States and does not include open
conveyances connecting two municipal separate storm sewers, or pipes, tunnels, or other
conveyances which connect segments of the same stream or other Waters of the United
States and are used to convey Waters of the United States. [40 CFR 122.26 (b)(9)] (Outfall includes where filtration is built into a structure, such as a mall. Outfall is the point where the built-in pre-treatment structure allows water to enter into the MS4)

PAH (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) - are hydrocarbons that consist of fused aromatic
rings. PAHs occur in oil, coal, and tar deposits, and are produced as byproducts of fuel burning
(whether fossil fuel or biomass). PAHs are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT)
pollutants. Though exposure usually occurs by breathing contaminated air, other sources
include industrial processes, transportation, energy production and use, and disposal activities.
PCBs - Polychlorinated biphenyls. Due to PCB's toxicity and classification as persistent
organic pollutants, PCB production was banned by the United States Congress in 1976 and by
the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in 2001.

Party - Defined as an individual, association, partnership, corporation, municipality, state or
federal agency, or an agent or employee thereof. [40 CFR 122.2]

Permittees - Co-permittees and the Principal Permittee

Person - A person is defined as an individual, association, partnership, corporation,
municipality, State or Federal agency, or an agent or employee thereof. [40 CFR122.2].
Point Source - Any discernible, confined, and discrete conveyance, including, but not limited
to, any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure, container, rolling stock,
concentrated animal feeding operations, landfill leachate collection systems, vessel, or other
floating craft from which pollutants are or may be discharged. This term does not include
return flows from irrigated agriculture or agricultural storm water runoff.

Pollutant - Any agent that may cause or contribute to the degradation of water quality such
that a condition of pollution or contamination is created or aggravated. It includes any type of
industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged into water. The term "pollutant" is
defined in section 502(6) of the Clean Water Act as follows: "The term 'pollutant' means
dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions,
chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded
equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt and industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged
into water." It has also been interpreted to include water characteristics such as toxicity or
acidity. (our runoff is not necessarily a pollutant unless it contains pollutants. Debris IS considered a pollutant, that is why it is important to pre-screen debris when we are cleaning)

Pollutants of Concern - A list of potential pollutants to be analyzed for in the Monitoring and
Reporting Program. This list shall include: TSS, total inorganic nitrogen, total phosphorus,
soluble reactive phosphorus, acute toxicity, fecal coliform, total coliform, pH, and
chemicals/potential Pollutants expected to be present on the project site. In developing this
list, consideration should be given to the chemicals and potential Pollutants available for storm
water to pick-up or transport to Receiving Waters, all Pollutants for which a waterbody within
the Permit Area that has been listed as impaired under CWA Section 303(d», the category of
development and the type of Pollutants associated with that development category. It also
refers to pollutants for which water bodies are listed as impaired under CWA section 303(d),
pollutants associated with the land use type of a development, and/or pollutants commonly
associated with urban runoff. Pollutants commonly associated with urban runoff include total
suspended solids; sediment; pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses, protozoa); heavy metals (e.g.,
copper, lead, zinc, and cadmium); petroleum products and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons;
synthetic organics (e.g., pesticides, herbicides, and PCBs); nutrients (e.g., nitrogen and
phosphorus fertilizers); oxygen-demanding substances (decaying vegetation, animal waste,
and anthropogenic litter). (These may be important to you if you find yourself cleaning where these are present)


Pollution - As defined in the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, pollution is "the
alteration of the quality of the Waters of the U.S. by waste, to a degree that unreasonably
affects either of the following: 1) The waters for beneficial uses; or 2) Facilities that serve these
beneficial uses." Pollution may include contamination.

Pollution Prevention - Pollution prevention is defined as practices and processes that reduce
or eliminate the generation of pollutants, in contrast to source control, treatment, or disposal.
Post-Construction BMPs - A subset of BMPs including structural and non-structural controls
which detain, retain, filter, or educate to prevent the release of pollutants to surface waters
during the final functional life of development.

POTW [Publicly Owned Treatment Works] - Wastewater treatment facilities owned by a public
agency. (This refers to your local sewer treatement plant)

Principal Permittee - San Bernardino County Flood Control District

Priority Development Projects - New development and redevelopment project categories
listed in Section XI.D.4 of Order No. R8-2010-0036.

Rainy Season - October 1 through May 31 st of each year.

Receiving Waters - Waters of the United States within the Permit area.

Receiving Water Limitations - Waste discharge requirements issued by the SARWQCB
typically include both: (1) "Effluent Limitations" (or "Discharge Limitations") that specify the
technology-based or water-quality-based effluent limitations; and (2) "Receiving Water
Limitations" that specify the water quality objectives in the Basin Plan as well as any other
limitations necessary to attain those objectives. In summary, the "Receiving Water Limitations"
provision is the provision used to implement the requirement of CWA section 301(b)(1)(C) that

NPDES permits must include any more stringent limitations necessary to meet water quality
standards.

Redevelopment - The creation, addition, and or replacement of impervious surface on an
already developed site. Examples include the expansion of a building footprint, road widening,
the addition to or replacement of a structure, and creation or addition of impervious surfaces.
Replacement of impervious surfaces includes any activity that is not part of a routine
maintenance activity where impervious material(s) are removed, exposing underlying soil
during construction. Redevelopment does not include trenching and resurfacing associated
with utility work; resurfacing and reconfiguring surface parking lots and existing roadways; new
sidewalk construction, pedestrian ramps, or bike lane on existing roads; and routine
replacement of damaged pavement, such as pothole repair.

Sediment - Soil, sand, and minerals washed from land into water. Sediment resulting from
anthropogenic sources (Le. human induced land disturbance activities) is considered a
pollutant. This Order regulates only the discharges of sediment from anthropogenic sources
and does not regulate naturally occurring sources of sediment. Sediment can destroy fish
nesting areas, clog animal habitats, and cloud waters so that sunlight does not reach aquatic
plants. (This is something we deal with)

SIC [Standard Industrial Classification] - Four digit industry code, as defined by the US
Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The SIC Code is used
to identify if a facility requires coverage under the General Industrial Activities Storm Water
Permit.

Significant Redevelopment -The addition or creation of 5,000, or more, square feet of
impervious surface on an existing developed site. This includes, but is not limited to,
construction of additional buildings and/or structures, extension of the existing footprint of a
building, construction of impervious or compacted soil parking lots. Significant Redevelopment
does not include routine maintenance activities that are conducted to maintain original line and
grade, hydraulic capacity, the original purpose of the constructed facility or emergency actions
required to protect public health and safety.

Site Design BMPs - Any project design feature that reduces the creation or severity of
potential pollutant sources or reduces the alteration of the project site's hydrology.
Redevelopment projects that are undertaken to remove pollutant sources (such as existing
surface parking lots and other impervious surfaces) or to reduce the need for new roads and
other impervious surfaces (as compared to conventional or low-density new development) by
incorporating higher densities and/or mixed land uses into the project design, are also
considered site design BMPs (It is important for us to find out if the places we are working already have filtration systems in place)








Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (Small MS4)91 - A conveyance or system
of conveyances (including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs,
gutters, ditches, man-made channels, or storm drains) that are:
(i) Owned or operated by the United States, a State, city, town, boroughs, county, parish,
district, association, or other public body (created by or pursuant to State law) having
jurisdiction over disposal of sewage, industrial wastes, storm water, or other wastes,
including special districts under State law such as a sewer district, flood control district
or drainage district, or similar entity, or an Indian tribe or an authorized Indian tribal
organization, or designated and approved management agency under section 208 of
the CWA that discharges to waters of the United States.
(ii) Not defined as "large" or "medium" municipal separate storm sewer systems
(iii) This term includes systems similar to separate storm sewer systems in municipalities,
such as systems at military bases, large hospital or prison complexes, and highways
and other thoroughfares. The term does not include separate storm sewers in very
discrete areas, such as individual buildings. (40 CFR §122.26(b)(16»
Source Control BMPs - In general, activities or programs to educate the public or provide low
cost non-physical solutions, as well as facility design or practices aimed to limit the contact
between Pollutant sources and storm water or authorized Non-Storm Water. Examples
include: activity schedules, prohibitions of practices, street sweeping, facility maintenance,
detection and elimination of ICIIDs, and other non-structural measures. Facility design
(structural) examples include providing attached lids to trash containers, canopies for fueling
islands, secondary containment, or roof or awning over material and trash storage areas to
prevent direct contact between water and Pollutants. (Once again, these conveyances have been determined to be part of the MS4)

Southern California Stormwater Monitoring Coalition (SMC)

State Board - California State Water Resources Control Board

Storm Water- Per 40 CFR 122.26(b)(13), means storm water runoff, snowmelt runoff
and surface runoff and drainage.

Storm Water General Permits - General Permit-Industrial (State Board Order No. 97-03
DWQ, NPDES No. CAS000001), General Permit-Construction (State Board Order No. 99-08
DWQ, NPDES No. CAS000002), and General Permit-Small Linear Underground Projects
(State Board Order No. 2003-0007-DWQ, NPDES No. CAS000005).

Structural BMPs - Physical facilities or controls that may include secondary containment,
treatment measures, (e.g. first flush diversion, detention/retention basins, and oil/grease
separators), run-off controls (e.g., grass swales, infiltration trenches/basins, etc.), and
engineering and design modification of existing structures. (Again, we need to use the presence of these structural bmps to help us determine the extent of the need for reclaim)

SWAMP (Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program)

SWPPP [Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan] - Plan to minimize and manage Pollutants
to minimize Pollution from entering the MS4, identifying all potential sources of Pollution and
describing planned practices to reduce Pollutants from discharging off the site. (Your area should have an SWPPP which usually includes the publication of a BMP to guide you)

TDS Total dissolved solids. (could be important depending on what you are cleaning. Most municipalities do not have the monitoring equipment to check for tds so they just use BMPs as a guide)


Time of concentration - the time that it takes for storm runoff to travel from the most
hydraulically remote point of the watershed to the outlet.

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) - The TMDL is the maximum amount of a pollutant that
can be discharged into a water body from all sources (point and non-point) and still maintain
water quality standards. Under Clean Water Act Section 303(d), TMDLs must be developed
for all water bodies that do not meet water quality standards after application of technology
based controls.

TMDL Implementation Plan -- Component of a TMDL that describes actions, including
monitoring, needed to reduce Pollutant loadings and a timeline for implementation. TMDL
Implementation Plans can include a monitoring or modeling plan and milestones for measuring
progress, plans for revising the TMDL if progress toward cleaning up the waters is not made,
and the date by which Water Quality Standards will be met (USEPA Final TMDL Rule: Fulfilling
the Goals of the CWA, EPA 841-F-00-008, July 2000).

Toxicity - Adverse responses of organisms to chemicals or physical agents ranging from
mortality to physiological responses such as impaired reproduction or growth anomalies.
Treatment Control BMPs - Any engineered system designed and constructed to remove
pollutants from urban runoff. Pollutant removal is achieved by simple gravity settling of
particulate pollutants, filtration, biological uptake, media adsorption or any other physical,
biological, or chemical process.

TSS - Total suspended solids.

Urban Runoff - Urban runoff is defined as all flows in a storm water conveyance system and
consists of the following components: (1) storm water (wet weather flows) and (2) authorized
non-storm water discharges (See Section V of the Order) (dry weather flows).

USEPA - United States Environmental Protection Agency

Waste - As defined in California Water Code Section 13050(d), "waste includes sewage and
any and all other waste substances, liquid, solid, gaseous, or radioactive, associated with
human habitation, or of human or animal origin, or from any producing, manufacturing, or
processing operation, including waste placed within containers of whatever nature prior to, and
for purposes of, disposal."
Article 2 of CCR Title 23, Chapter 15 (Chapter 15) contains a waste classification system
which applies to solid and semi-solid waste which cannot be discharged directly or indirectly to
water of the state and which therefore must be discharged to land for treatment, storage, or
disposal in accordance with Chapter 15. There are four classifications of waste (listed in order
of highest to lowest threat to water quality): hazardous waste, designated waste,
nonhazardous solid waste, and inert waste.

Waste Discharge Requirements - As defined in Section 13374 of the California Water Code,
the term 'Waste Discharge Requirements" is the equivalent of the term "permits" as used in
the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended. The Regional Board usually reserves
reference to the term "permit" to Waste Discharge Requirements for discharges to surface
Waters of the U.S

Waste Load Allocations (WLA) - Maximum quantity pollutants a discharger of waste is
allowed to release into a particular waterway, as set by a regulatory authority. Discharge limits
usually are required for each specific water quality criterion being, or expected to be, violated.
Distribution or assignment of TMDL Pollutant loads to entities or sources for existing and future
point sources.

Water Quality Assessment - Assessment conducted to evaluate the condition of non-storm
water and storm water discharges, and the water bodies which receive these discharges.
Water Quality-Based Effluent Limits (WQBEL) - A value determined by selecting the most
stringent of the effluent limits calculated using all applicable water quality criteria (e.g., aquatic
life, human health, and wildlife) for a specific point source to a specific receiving water for a
given pollutant.

Water Quality Criteria - comprised of numeric and narrative criteria. Numeric criteria are
scientifically derived ambient concentrations developed by EPA or states for various pollutants
of concern to protect human health and aquatic life. Narrative criteria are statements that
describe the desired water quality goal.

Water Quality Objective - The limits or levels of water quality constituents or characteristics
which are established for the reasonable protection of beneficial uses of water or the
prevention of nuisance within a specific area. [California Water Code Section 13050(h)]
Water Quality Standards - are defined as the beneficial uses (e.g., swimming, fishing,
municipal drinking water supply, etc.,) of water and the water quality objectives necessary to
protect those uses.

Waters of the United States - Waters of the United States can be broadly defined as
navigable surface waters and all tributary surface waters to navigable surface waters.
Groundwater is not considered to be a Waters of the United States. (this is important to know especially since we have those within our own ranks who are trying to get runoff from house washing to be reclaimed!!)

As defined in 40 CFR 122.2, the Waters of the U.S. are defined as: (a) All waters, which are
currently used, were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign
commerce, including all waters which are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide; (b) All
interstate waters, including interstate "wetlands;" (c) All other waters such as intrastate lakes,
rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, "wetlands," sloughs, prairie
potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, or natural ponds the use, degradation or destruction of
which would affect or could affect interstate or foreign commerce including any such waters:
(1) Which are or could be used by interstate or foreign travelers for recreational or other
purposes; (2) From which fish or shellfish are or could be taken and sold in interstate or foreign
commerce; or (3) Which are used or could be used for industrial purposes by industries in
interstate commerce; (d) All impoundments of waters otherwise defined as waters of the
United States under this definition: (e) Tributaries of waters identified in paragraphs (a) through
(d) of this definition; (f) The territorial seas; and (g) "Wetlands" adjacent to waters (other than
waters that are themselves wetlands) identified in paragraphs (a) through (f) of this definition.
Waters of the United States do not include prior converted cropland. Notwithstanding the
determination of an area's status as prior converted cropland by any other federal agency, for
the purposes of the Clean Water Act, the final authority regarding Clean Water Act jurisdiction
remains with the EPA.

Watershed - That geographical area which drains to a specified point on a water course,
usually a confluence of streams or rivers (also known as drainage area, catchment, or river
basin).

WOlD [Waste Discharge Identification] - Identification number provided by the State when a
Notice of Intent is filed.

WQMP - Water Quality Management Plan. A plan developed to mitigate the impacts of urban
runoff from Priority Development Projects.

Wet Season - October 1 through May 31 st of each year, except where specifically defined
otherwise in an approved TMDL Implementation Plan.
 
Indeed alot of informations. Been reading what I can, but with contracts, kids, and other things going on I haven't had time to delve into this as much as I need to.
 

Chris Chappell

New member
Great post Tony!

Anyone who reads this thread, even in other industries will have information that is clear and easy to understand.

I agree about the screenshots issue, lots of mis-information put out there on other forums by people that want the information hard to understand and the truth to be hidden to say the least.
 

Greg Nash

New member
There you go simple and to the point verbage and explanations. That post had more useful information than five years of posts from the so called experts.
 

Chris Chappell

New member
So True!

They also go by the self-titles of "Industry leader", "Deacon", "Dean", "Elder", "Nurse", "Doctor" and some others I cannot remember right now.

It is so funny that they say how they are helping the industry but overwhelming proof shows how they are stabbing contractors in the back, trying cities to get more restrictive, trying to get regulators to make things harder to clean by more regulations and other nonsense that has been happening for decades but now the truth is getting out there and people are learning the truth of what those people were doing all those years.
 
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