Construction sites in Virginia that produce stormwater runoff affecting more than one acre of land, as well as smaller sites that are part of larger projects, have for years been required to apply for a general stormwater permit. This permit mandates that the operators of these construction areas put in place control mechanisms to not only limit stormwater runoff, but also to prevent dangerous pollutants from the sites from entering stormwater drains and ending up in our state’s already poor streams and rivers.
Recently, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation rewrote this Construction Stormwater General Permit. While one might think such a revision would only heighten standards, state water conservationists like the Riverkeeper of the Shenadoah River say it only lowers them. He argues that the new permit is not any better than the old one, that it doesn’t comply with the Clean Water Act, and that the permit basically gives a “blank check” to construction sites to pollute as much water as they want.
Stormwater runoff from construction activities can have a devastating impact on our water supply. When rainwater runs over a construction site, it picks up debris, sediments, and chemicals. These materials, upon reaching a waterway can cause destruction of habitats, stream bank erosion, clogging of streams, and even destruction of wildlife (both those animals swimming in the water and those drinking out of it).
While many violations of construction site runoff likely go unnoticed, the penalties for those who don’t apply for or honor runoff permits are often severe. Just today (3/23), a construction company in California agreed to pay a settlement of $2.75 million to make up the multitude of stormwater violations found on one of their 325 acre construction sites.
Polluted stormwater runoff is a problem for several reasons. One of the more notable ones, especially for those familiar with either the Shenandoah or Potomac Rivers, are the high number of fish kills in recent years. In a 2008 report, the US Geological Survey attributed many of these kills, in part, to stormwater runoff containing fertilizers and other chemicals.
According to a spokesperson for the EPA, “Dirty runoff from construction sites is one of the largest sources of water pollution.” In fact, the EPA has stated that runoff from construction sites has been found to be up to 1,000 times more polluted than that from undisturbed sites. But with the use of proper technology, runoff from construction and development sites can be reduced by up to 90%.
In addition to improving the use of technology on construction sites in order reroute runoff away from storm drains and streams, I believe more should be done to educate construction supervisors and managers on the importance of proper runoff precautions. Perhaps, in some cases, the construction companies simply don’t realize how much damage they’re causing. Workshops and even entire conferences within the construction industry are already being held that focus specifically on stormwater runoff. One such conference happened just last week in Beckley, West Virginia.
While stormwater runoff from construction sites may not sound like that big of a problem at first, one can easily begin to see just how much damage it can cause. Certainly, the costs of polluted streams, diseased and dying fish populations, erosion, etc., far outweigh the costs of a few simple pieces of water diversion mechanisms placed on construction sites. States must enact and enforce stronger regulations regarding construction runoff – perhaps then we can all “build” better bodies of water for future generations to come.
- http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2009/2009-03-18-091.asp
- http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/const.cfm
- http://www.eponline.com/articles/71349/
- http://lists.dep.state.fl.us/pipermail/pharmwaste/2008-March/001562.html
- http://www.thefreelibrary.com/States+sue+EPA+over+construction+runoff-a0122813006
- http://www.cbs59.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=54631
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