City of Reno and Truckee Meadows regulations are compliant with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection Bureau of Water Pollution Control Stormwater Discharge Permit Program requirements, and with the specifications of the Truckee Meadows MS4 permit.
The Truckee Meadows Storm Water Permit Coordinating Committee (TMSWPCC) is responsible for implementing the Truckee Meadows Storm Water Management Program to protect the water quality of the region’s waterways, streams and the Truckee River. Training agency maintenance staff to incorporate best management practices and prevent pollutants from reaching the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) is an important part of that effort.
The Truckee Meadows Storm Water Permit Coordinating Committee has updated and joined the Structural Controls Design Manual and the Low Impact Development Manual, as well as updated the Truckee Meadows Construction Site BMP Handbook. These documents are referenced code for the Cities of Reno and Sparks and Washoe County. The City of Reno will be the first to update their ordinances, RMC 12.16.895 and RMC 18.12.405 to reflect the revised documents. The City of Sparks and Washoe County plan to update their codes in 2015-16 to incorporate references to the revised manuals.
*Two community workshops were held during summer of 2015 in cooperation with the Builders Association of Northern Nevada.
Final manuals being accepted by local governing bodies:
Section I.B.1 of the NV General Industrial Permit (Appendix A) requires owners of specific industrial and commercial businesses to complete and maintain a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) at the site. This SWPPP shall be prepared in accordance with good engineering practices and shall consist of site specific information (e.g. business and owners name and address, site map, etc.), the Best Management Practices (BMPs) to be used on site, inspection and maintenance procedures, a list of any potential non-storm water discharges, and a description of permanent storm water treatment controls used at the site (Section I.B.3).
The SWPPP is a living document that should always be maintained to reflect the current status of the facility and the efforts being made to prevent storm water pollution. The success of the SWPPP depends on careful implementation of inspection, monitoring and maintenance procedures as well as regular evaluations and updates to ensure that the provisions of the plan continue to be effective.
A maintenance program for storm water structural treatment controls must be developed within the SWPPP, and carried out by qualified personnel. Mechanical equipment must be regularly maintained, and other structural controls should be inspected frequently to ensure effective operation. Records should be kept of maintenance schedules and estimated volumes of solids removed from catch basins and sediment ponds.
Employee education and training is also an important part of SWPPP maintenance. It is important that employees understand the purpose of the SWPPP and how to prevent pollution by following its guidelines. Individuals carrying out storm water sampling and monitoring activities must be trained in the proper techniques and protocols to ensure that samples are not contaminated, and valuable data is collected. Training should be conducted at least once per year, and records of training activities should be kept.
Truckee Meadows Industrial and Commercial Stormwater Best Management Practices Handbook