STORMWATER REGULATIONS: TEXAS STORMWATER REGULATIONS: TEXAS POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION
SYSTEM (TPDES) IN THE LOWER RIO GRANDE SYSTEM (TPDES) IN THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEYVALLEY
Presented by: Presented by: Hernan Lugo, E.I.T., CFMHernan Lugo, E.I.T., CFM
Project Manager, City of AltonProject Manager, City of Alton
NPDES & TPDES•National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is a federal program administer by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to control the discharges of pollutants to surface waters of the U.S.
•On September 14, 1998, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) was authorized by EPA to administer NPDES in the state of Texas under the name of Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES)
•Discharges associated with oil, gas and geothermal exploration are regulated by Texas Railroad Commission.
TPDES PERMITS
TPDES STORMWATER PERMITS:
•Industrial Stormwater Permits (TXR050000)
•Construction Stormwater Permit (TXR150000)
•Municipal Stormwater Permit (TXR040000)
TXR040000
MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM (MS4)“Refers to a conveyance or system of conveyances (including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man-made channels, or storm drains)”
•Designed and used to collect and/or convey stormwater
•Not a combined sewer (Storm & Sanitary Sewers)
•Is not part of a Publicly Owned Treatment Works
(POTW)
MS4s CLASSIFICATIONPhase I MS4s• Municipalities With Population 100,000+• Existing Individual NPDES Permits• TCEQ Renewing as TPDES Permits• Collect analytical data
Phase II MS4s• “Small” MS4s Serving a Population <100,000• Phase II (Small) MS4 General Permit -TXR040000,
Issued August 13, 2007
TASK FORCE HISTORYFormed in 2001
By Laws developed by the TF govern our organization
Annual fee paid to the fiscal agent (TAMUK) via an interlocal agreement that governs the group. Agreement is renewed annually.
Newest members joined in 2009 and 2010, City of Palm Valley and Cameron County. We are currently negotiating membership with cities.
TASK FORCE HIGHLIGHTS16 Local Governments comprise the Task ForceTask Force meets regularly 9 committees (outreach, ordinance, training, grant,
construction, housekeeping, annual report, scholarship, and ID&E)
Other committees as needed (conference, LID)
TAMUK administers meetings and programsInterlocal agreements with TAMUK
Task Force developed Stormwater Management Plans and obtained permits from TCEQ to meet TPDES requirementsAnnual fee for operating costs
Official Logo ofThe Rio GrandeValley TPDES
Task Force
REPRESENTATIVESCity of Brownsville –Joe Hinojosa* City of La Feria – Irene Szedlmayer
City of Donna – Fernando Flores City of San Juan – Tony Hernandez
City of Alton – Hernan Lugo* Cameron County– Ernesto Hinojosa, P.E. City of San Benito – Timothy Ginn City of Palmhurst – Celina Perez
City of Pharr – Grace Segovia City of Weslaco – Roy Jimenez
City of Mission – Jo Ann Serna* City of La Joya – Isidro Venecia
City of Harlingen – Omar Rios City of Santa Rosa – Rey Trevino
City of Alamo – Alex De La Rosa* City of Palm Valley– Rosendo Flores
* - Officers
Main MissionTPDES Stormwater Plans
Storm Water Management Program
Post-Construction Storm Water Management Control
Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal
Operations
Construction Site Control Runoff
Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
Public Involvement and Participation
Public Education and Outreach Plans developed by Task Force were adopted by all members
Although the SWMPs are individually catered to each member there are many regional aspects to the plan
Regional aspects include outreach, training, website , policy planning
Active projects: PSAs, conferences, SEPA (training program funded by IBWC), grants (RDF, LID, 319, Border 2012), classrooms ppts
TASK FORCE PRIORITY TASKSTF must find funding ideas to comply with this unfunded mandateTF must develop ordinancesTF must develop effective Best Management Practices (BMPs)TAMUK will assist the TFTF uses the A&M system’s nationwide network to gather information, obtain grants, etc.Implement SWMP by 2012
Task Force AdvantagesAllows Cities to discuss other environmental issues that may require research support from TAMUK
TAMUK will use the Task Force as a forum to obtain letters of support for select projects (and vice versa)
TAMUK will spearhead grant efforts for the Task Force and/or individual local governments.
Task Force AdvantagesThe TF provides a united regional voice when dealing with regulators
The TF mission provides support to two legs (NPS, Wastewater outfalls) of the Arroyo Colorado TMDL project and the ACWP
Institutionalization of innovative BMPs requires a regional buy in (LID)
TAMUK will network with other universities, institutes, and similar entities through the Task Force to provide additional support (TTI, UTB, STC)
Task Force Major ProjectsStormwater Plan implementation
Upcoming research projects – RDF study and LID study
Ordinance development
PSA – 3 clips, 1 documentary (WISD)
SEPA – Soil Erosion Pollution Awareness (funded by IBWC, TF and TAMUK) TF working with TTI in a course certification program
SEP being developing for revenue support
Scholarship program
Website (Under construction)
Classroom presentations (over 5K students annually)
TASK FORCE OUTLOOKMore Cities expected to join the Task Force once TCEQ starts aggressively enforcing permit acquisition
Task Force has become a state and nationally renowned organization
TAMUK College of Engineering will continue to invest support to this group
Website (http://www.stormwater.stei.org/)
IT WORKS!
STORMWATER REGULATIONS: STORMWATER REGULATIONS: TEXAS POLLUTANT DISCHARGE TEXAS POLLUTANT DISCHARGE
ELIMINATION SYSTEM (TPDES) IN ELIMINATION SYSTEM (TPDES) IN THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEYTHE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY
CONTACT INFORMATIONCONTACT INFORMATION
Hernan Lugo, E.I.T., CFM.Project ManagerCity of Alton509 S. Alton Blvd.Alton, TX. 78573Phone: (956) 432-0760Fax: (956) 432-0766Email: [email protected]