California Polytechnic State University
OP-23: Rainwater Management

Cal Poly follows the state required storm-water management strategies. These strategies include: Public Education and outreach, construction site run off programs, total maximum daily loads (TMDL) requirements, program management elements, illicit discharge detection and elimination, pollution prevention and good housekeeping, landscape design and maintenance, and a post construction storm water management program (LID). https://afd.calpoly.edu/ehs/waterquality

The Stormwater Management Program is intended to improve the water quality of surface waters by reducing the quantity of pollutants that stormwater picks up and carries into the storm drain systems during storm events. Common pollutants include oil and grease from roadways, pesticides from lawns, pet waste, sediment from construction sites, and carelessly discarded trash, such as cigarette butts, paper wrappers, and plastic bottles. When discharged into streams and rivers, these pollutants can impair the waterways, discouraging recreational use, contaminating drinking water supplies, and interfering with the habitat of fish, other aquatic organisms, and wildlife. Click here to watch a video about stormwater pollution prevention. II. SCOPE and APPLICATION Areas or operations include Construction Activities and Facility Operations III. ROLES and RESPONSIBLITIES A. Environmental Health and Safety • Develop, communicate and implement written programs and procedures that comply with applicable stormwater regulations • Coordinate assessments and reporting for illicit discharge detection and elimination • Perform water quality sampling and analysis • Implement education and outreach activities and events • Carry out erosion and sedimentation inspections • Oversee hazardous materials management • Direct an emergency response team for hazardous material spill management • Conduct annual compliance audits and report the results to department heads who are engaged in regulated discharge activities B. Facility Operations Facility Operations is responsible for maintaining the campus stormwater system infrastructure, which includes all structural best management practices (BMPs) and stormwater conveyances. 1. Landscape Services • Clean and maintain storm drain inlets. • Implement a landscape conversion program where areas of turf are converted to tree, shrub and perennial plantings that hold stormwater runoff and allow for improved infiltration. • Limit pesticide, herbicide and fertilizer application by prohibiting application within 5 feet of pavement, 25 feet of a storm drain inlet, or 50 feet of surface waters. • Provide street sweeping services in order to prevent automobile related pollution and parking lot trash from entering campus creeks. 2. Plumbing Shop • Maintain storm drain inlets, catch basins, pipes and structural BMPs. • Monitor the function of structural BMPs and coordinate maintenance. • Perform annual cleaning/pumping of storm drain inlets that have accumulated debris. C. Facilities Planning and Capital Projects (FPCP) • Ensure buildings and other campus amenities are designed and constructed in ways that minimize impacts on campus water quality. • Direct the project development process to ensure that projects are designed and developed in accordance with the Campus Master Plan. • Maintain and update the campus design and construction guidelines and work with other departments to ensure they reflect the requirements of this program. • Project managers are responsible for ensuring that stormwater BMPs for projects are installed in accordance with their approved designs, and for ensuring that sedimentation and erosion control devices are installed correctly and maintained for the life of the project. D. Campus Community (Colleges, Departments, Auxiliaries) The entire campus community is responsible for ensuring the campus is being maintained to prevent and report illicit discharges. IV. REQUIREMENTS: The Campus Stormwater Program has six elements for implementation: A. Education and Outreach B. Public Involvement and Participation C. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination D. Construction Site Runoff Control E. Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Permittee Operations F. Post Construction Stormwater Management These requirements include three fundamental principles: 1. Effectively prohibit non-stormwater discharges through the stormdrain system 2. Implement controls to reduce the discharge of pollutants to receiving waters 3. Follow provisions that the Regional Water Board has determined appropriate for the control of such pollutants. A. Education and Outreach Distributing educational materials and performing outreach to inform citizens about the impacts polluted stormwater runoff discharges can have on water quality. B. Public Involvement and Participation Providing opportunities for citizens to participate in program development and implementation, including effectively publicizing public hearings and/or encouraging citizen representatives on a stormwater management panel C. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Stormwater that includes sanitary wastewater, sewage from septic tanks, improper oil disposal, garden hoses, dumping of holding tanks, or other matter are considered to have "illicit discharge." The campus storm drain system directs all runoff that enters the storm drain to Brizzolara Creek. The runoff is not treated so whatever enters the storm drain goes directly to surface waters and straight to Avila Beach. Examples of an illicit discharge include: • Sanitary wastewater. • Effluent from septic tanks. • Car wash waters. • Improper oil disposal. • Radiator flushing disposal. https://afd.calpoly.edu/ehs/docs/stormwater%20program.pdf