Artesia News

The purpose of stormwater permits

Many of the materials used in the manufacture of concrete are potentially harmful to the quality of creeks, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.

For instance, aggregate, sand, Portland cement, yard dust and stack emissions can contribute sediment to nearby water bodies. If suspended in water (total suspended solids or TSS), sediment can clog fish gills, cloud the water and reduce plant growth. It will most likely increase treatment costs for public and private water supplies.

Sediment that settles to the bottom can smother aquatic organisms and eliminate breeding sites for fish. Stream channels can sometimes accumulate so much sediment that the flow regime is altered and the potential for flooding, in extreme cases, can increase.

Portland cement is highly alkaline, commonly exceeding a pH of 10. High pH waters are toxic to aquatic life. Fuels and lubricants stored and used on site can contribute to hydrocarbon runoff as well.

The breakdown of some chemical admixtures used in manufacturing concrete can reduce the oxygen available for fish and other aquatic life. The demand for oxygen for the breakdown of chemical admixtures is called Biological Oxygen Demand or BOD.

Storm water permits cover only storm water runoff. Waters that are used for washing equipment and for dust control are considered process wastewaters and cannot be covered under a storm water permit. If storm water is commingled with any process wastewater then all of the mixed water is considered wastewater. Process wastewater that is discharged from the plant site and has potential to reach a surface water of the state (natural water formations like lakes that are wholly or partially within the boundaries of the State) must be covered under an additional storm water permit for waste water discharges.