Pollution Prevention & Good Housekeeping

Why is Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping Necessary?

This measure requires the small MS4 operator to examine and subsequently alter their own actions to help ensure a reduction in the amount and type of pollution that:

Collects on streets, parking lots, open spaces, and storage and vehicle maintenance areas that discharge to local waterways
Results from actions such as environmentally damaging land development and flood management practices or poor maintenance of storm sewer systems.

This control measure is mainly meant to improve or protect receiving water quality by altering municipal or facility operations.

What is required?

The City is required as an operator of a small MS4 to:

Develop and implement an operation and maintenance program with the ultimate goal of preventing or reducing pollutant runoff from municipal operations
Include employee training on how to incorporate pollution prevention/good housekeeping techniques into municipal operations such as park and open space maintenance, fleet and building maintenance, new construction and land disturbances, and storm water system maintenance
Determine the appropriate best management practices (BMPs) and measurable goals for this minimum control measure.

Components to Pollution Prevention & Good Housekeeping

Catch Basin Clearing Program -- Public Works staff annually clean out storm drain and catch basins once before the rainy season, and again after the first flush. Staff cleans over 650 locations annually. In the last year, 19 cubic yards of debris and sediment were removed from the storm drain system.
Street Sweeping -- the City has a regular schedule for street sweeping throughout the year, and sweeps the Corporation Yard weekly and the 7 City maintained parking lots bimonthly. Regular street sweeping removes on average 53,000 pounds of debris per month, while the Corporation Yard and parking lots generate an additional 1 ton of debris removal per month combined.
Turf Removal Project -- In response to the ongoing drought, the City took on an aggressive turf removal project. More than 53,000 square feet of turf was removed. All of these areas have since been covered with mulch to act as both a weed deterrent and limit sediment movement.
Staff Training -- storm water BMPs are reviewed in safety training throughout the year, utilizing hard copy and video presentations.

For more information of the City's Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping program, please contact the Public Works Department at (805) 473-5460.