Preventing Stormwater Pollution at Your Public Works Facility
Script for Workshop Series Introduction and
Module 1: Why Stormwater Matters
Introduction to Workshop series, slides 1 - 4
Slide 1:
Welcome to the first session in the workshop series on preventing
storm water pollution from the public works facility. Through this workshop
series we’ll be concentrating on the basic steps we need to take to keep your
facility properly maintained, operated and clean to prevent pollutants from
leaving the site.
Slide 2:
As most of you know, I am (name, title, department), and I’ll be
presenting this workshop series using materials developed under the RI
Department of Transportation’s Phase II Stormwater Education and Outreach
Project. My phone number and email are listed here in case you need to get in to
get in touch with me or have questions about anything we discuss in this series.
Note: Supervisor /Trainer may wish to invite participants to introduce themselves if
some participants don’t know each other.
Slide 3:
Before getting into the first session, I’d like to give you a quick
overview of the whole series. There are 5 topics, as listed here.
Module 1: Introduction to the Series and Why Stormwater Matters
Script
1
Preventing Stormwater Pollution at Your Public Works Facility
Slide 4:
We’ve scheduled these as five separate meetings, held once a week
from (date 1 to date 5). All are here at the (place), at the same time. Although we
might be able to cover everything in one hour, we’ve set aside 1 ½ hours to make
sure we have enough time for your input, including suggestions on how we can
improve management of our facility. Everyone who works at this garage is
responsible for keeping the facility as pollution-free as possible and checking to
see that proper procedures are in place. This training is also required by RIDEM
stormwater regulations. This training is important and I strongly encourage all of
you to make it a priority to attend each session.
Module 1: Why Stormwater Matters, slides 5 - 21
Slide 5:
Now we’ll get started with the first part of our series, “Why
Stormwater Matters”.
Slide 6:
Let’s start by reviewing the agenda and format. You should all
have the agenda, a copy of the power point presentation, map exercise, and
evaluation. This is informal, so feel free to ask questions as we go during the
presentation, and to participate actively in the exercise. Just please remember to
respect all other’s questions, comments, and suggestions. All input is valid and
Module 1: Introduction to the Series and Why Stormwater Matters
Script
2
Preventing Stormwater Pollution at Your Public Works Facility
should be received with an open, non-judgmental mind. Which reminds me, if
you haven’t already done so, please open and turn off your cell phones.
If you have not already signed in, please do so now, so that we can report
attendance to the MS4 coordinator and RIDEM.
Slide 7:
I’m going to start with a 10-minute review of why we’re here – why
stormwater matters. Then we’ll spend about 45 minutes mapping water flow
through the grounds. Our purpose is to understand how stormwater pollution is
affecting local streams, ponds and downstream waters, and how the water
flowing through our facility might pick up pollutants and contribute to this
pollution.
Slide 8:
So let’s take a look at the stormwater problem and why it matters to
us. We’re all familiar with flooding problems caused by stormwater runoff, but
most of us are less familiar with pollution problems caused by stormwater
runoff. It can be difficult to address these problems unless we understand where
they come from and strategies to prevent them
Slide 9:
(Right side- Direct discharge to river and combined sewer
overflows ) The focus of water pollution problems has traditionally been on the
large “point sources of pollution”--direct discharges from industrial facilities,
Module 1: Introduction to the Series and Why Stormwater Matters
Script
3
Preventing Stormwater Pollution at Your Public Works Facility
sewage treatment plants and the combined sewer overflows in wet weather. A
recent URI survey of RI residents found that a majority of RI residents believe
that wastewater treatment plants and combined sewer overflows are the major
sources of pollution to our waters.
Next click: But in the past 25 years or so, these sources are getting cleaned up
due to legislation such as the 1972 Clean Water Act. Wastewater treatment plants
have been upgraded and many additional state and local efforts have helped,
such as the no discharge rules for boats, hazardous waste regulations, etc. CSO
discharges are still a major problem for the upper Narragansett Bay but
improvements now underway will help reduce impacts these impacts. Despite
this progress pollution problems have not gone away. This has caused a shift in
focus toward the #1 remaining water quality problem in the U.S.....
Slide 10:
…. Stormwater pollution is now the # 1 water quality problem in
the U.S. … And the major source of pollution to RI waters (read slide verbatim).
Slide 11:
In Rhode Island almost a quarter of all streams, ponds and coastal
waters are not suitable for fishing or swimming largely due to stormwater
pollution.
Module 1: Introduction to the Series and Why Stormwater Matters
Script
4
Preventing Stormwater Pollution at Your Public Works Facility
In recent years, up to 75% of annual beach closures were traced to stormwater
pollution and related discharges, with only 25% due to combined sewer
overflows. Stormwater pollution is a statewide problem, not just in the upper
bay, and it threatens our high quality drinking water supplies, beaches and
shellfishing areas.
(Photo left- Green Hill Pond – algae due to nutrients from land development,
leading to excessive growth of algae)
NOTE – add information on local waters here, such as critical areas to protect
and impaired waters.
Slide 12:
What is stormwater anyway? Simply, put, it’s rain that does not
seep into the ground, but instead runs off impervious surfaces such as roads,
parking and compacted soil. When this rain water washes over the land, it picks
up all sorts of pollutants along the way, whether it is oil from our cars, fertilizers
from our lawns and parks, road sand, or sediment construction sites. Illicit
connections of sanitary sewers with storm drains – often unidentified – can also
contribute raw sewage high in disease-causing pathogens. Stormdrains carry this
polluted water directly to nearby waters without any treatment.
Module 1: Introduction to the Series and Why Stormwater Matters
Script
5
Preventing Stormwater Pollution at Your Public Works Facility
Slide 13:
To understand how this is a problem, let’s first look at the natural
water cycle and how water flows in undeveloped areas with little pavement and
other impervious surfaces. Rain falling in wooded areas and fields is either used
by plants, evaporates, or seeps into the ground where pollutants are filtered as
water moves through vegetation and soil.
Water seeping into the ground recharges groundwater supplies. Groundwater
gradually flows towards surface waters, feeding streams during dry summer
periods and keeping aquatic life healthy. Groundwater and surface waters are
connected in this cycle.
Slide 14:
(Left side) In a natural landscape, almost half the rainfall is used by
vegetation or evaporates, about 50% can be expected to seep into the ground, and
only about 10% runoff. So most available rainfall infiltrates into the soil where
any pollutants can be filtered. Groundwater recharge is high and runoff is very
low.
(Right side) As we develop, we cover the ground with pavement, parking,
rooftop, and other impervious surfaces that prevent rainwater from infiltrating.
Even unpaved areas that have been disturbed often have highly compacted soils
that prevents rainwater from infiltrating. With development, we reverse the
Module 1: Introduction to the Series and Why Stormwater Matters
Script
6
Preventing Stormwater Pollution at Your Public Works Facility
natural water cycle so that more than 50% now runs off. Natural pollutant
filtering by soil is lost and groundwater recharge is reduced.
Slide 15:
The result is a tremendous increase in the total amount, or volume
of runoff, usually over a must shorter period of time, creating “flashy” streams.
This causes erosion and more frequent and more severe floods. In turn, this
results in costly property damage and unsafe conditions. These changes in water
flow also destroy stream habitat.
Rainwater that runs off the ground surface instead of slowly seeping into the
ground is water that is lost to groundwater recharge. The result is lowered
groundwater levels, with less water available for water supply wells, and dry
stream beds in summer months.
Slide 16:
The second type of development impact is on water quality. All this
stormwater flowing over developed land, picks up pollutants as it flows over
pavement and compacted soil and conveys it directly to nearby waters without
any treatment. In developed areas, as the amount of stormwater runoff increases,
the pollutants entering nearby waters also increases.
Module 1: Introduction to the Series and Why Stormwater Matters
Script
7
Preventing Stormwater Pollution at Your Public Works Facility
Slide 17:
So what harm can our local highway garage do? Well, stormwater
pollution comes from all types of land use activities throughout a drainage area,
including residential lawns and septic systems, farms, shopping center parking
lots, and all these need to be properly managed too.
But intensive land uses, such as our facility, contribute more stormwater
pollution for their size. This is because of the high proportion of pavement or
compacted earth on site, generates large amounts of runoff. And there is always
a risk that sand, salt and toxic materials used or stored onsite will get into the
stormwater system and flow off site.
Slide 18:
The resulting water quality impacts are serious, difficult and costly
to treat. We’ve already noted that stormwater runoff is responsible for beach
closures, due to high bacteria. And sediment build up from road sand and
construction sites destroy aquatic habitat.
In addition, oil, heavy metals and other toxic materials make fish unfit for
consumption.
Module 1: Introduction to the Series and Why Stormwater Matters
Script
8
Preventing Stormwater Pollution at Your Public Works Facility
Nutrients in fertilizers, wastewater and other sources fuel rampant growth of
algae and aquatic plants, spoiling recreational use and destroying sensitive
habitat.
Algae and aquatic plants use up oxygen when they decompose, contributing to
fish kills in Narragansett Bay.
And in drinking water supplies, algae and sediment drive up the cost of water
treatment while also affecting taste and odor.
Slide 19:
We’ve made a lot of progress in controlling water pollution to our
rivers, lakes and bay.
Now stormwater pollution is a statewide problem, and managing this is the next
step to keep our waters clean and healthy.
Stormwater pollution comes from many small sources with no single solution. So
it involves many different types of pollution prevention actions at home and at
work.
Module 1: Introduction to the Series and Why Stormwater Matters
Script
9
Preventing Stormwater Pollution at Your Public Works Facility
But it just takes a few simple steps to better manage runoff and prevent pollution
from our DPW facilities, and also to meet DEM regulations. In future sessions
we’ll be outlining these basic steps.
Slide 20:
Thanks for your attention. We might have time for a few questions?
Next, on to our practical exercise, Examining Stormwater flow at our facility.
Slide 21::
The purpose of this exercise is to notice how stormwater runoff
flows through the facility, and to be aware of where it eventually ends up.
We’ll start by creating a simple map of water flow on the public works facility
site, then see if we can tell what downstream resources could be affected.
See Exercise sheet
Module 1: Introduction to the Series and Why Stormwater Matters
Script
10