Stormwater COalition Recommended Best Management Practices (BMP) for Specific Audiences

The Stormwater Coalition has tailored messaging for each of the audiences as prescribed in the Utah General Stormwater Permit Jordan Valley Co-Permit, including: 1) Residents, 2) Institutions, Industrial, and Commercial Facilities, 3) Developers and Contractors, and 4) MS4 Owned or Operated Facilities.

Segmentation of groups to whom education and outreach is delivered is recognized as the first basic step in the adopting changes, but the coalition recognizes if it expects these audiences to incorporate lasting behaviors and practices that will collectively make a difference in stormwater quality, the “why” and “what it will take” for individuals to change what they are currently doing must be carefully considered.

Research has documented an effect called the status quo bias, a general tendency for people to keep doing what they have previously done, even when it is not in their best interest. (Kahneman et al., 1991) This can act as an impediment to implementing and sustaining new behaviors, so the selected BMPs needed to have the best likelihood for adoption and sustainability.  To achieve this, the coalition selected BMPs that are: 1) correlated to the specific audience’s typical interaction with stormwater; 2) correlated to one or more pollutants of concern that the specific audience would collectively be able to impact, if the BMP was adopted by a large enough segment of that audience (“most people” in the specific audience); 3) recommended by a reputable source, shown to impact the pollutant of concern if adopted by a large enough segment of that audience (ex: EPA, Utah DWQ, etc.); and “doable” by the audience to which it is targeted, as defined by being singular (asking audience to adopting one specific action at a time), simple/easy to understand what is expected, have no or little financial expense or cost related to the BMP (maybe even a cost savings), convenient for the adopter (not too difficult), and does not require any specialized knowledge on the part of the typical adopter.

(1) Residents:

1.Bag and trash pet waste- pet waste carries E.coli and other harmful coliform bacteria. Washed into the ground and left on sidewalks, gutters, stream banks, and streets, it is THE main contributor to contamination of the Jordan River.  Bag and trash pet waste every time.

2. Pick up and throw away trash from sidewalks, parking lots, streets and gutters. In addition to the trash itself, trash carries harmful bacteria, oils, and chemicals directly into our waterways

3. Sweep and throw away grass clippings, fallen leaves, and other garden waste from sidewalks, gutters and keep away from storm drains.  Excess nutrients in our water bodies caused by this “natural” waste adds nutrients that lead to algae blooms, and that are very bad news to fish and other aquatic life, and through a process called Eutrophication, can make humans very sick. 

4. In your yard and garden, if you must use fertilizer, use it VERY sparingly. Any fertilizer not absorbed by plants or grass carries the excess nutrients through the ground, then into the aquifers, and finally into our waterways.  Any dry or pelletfertilizer that gets onto a hard surface, such as sidewalks or driveways, needs to be swept back onto the lawn or garden, or thrown into the trash.   When added to excess nutrients resulting from pet and wild animal waste, decomposing leaves and grass clippings, excess fertilizer causes impaired waterbodies, algae blooms, fish kills, and eutrophication (a cycle of dark, slimy, decaying, putrid water). 

(2) Institutions, Industrial and Commercial facilities:

1.Significantly reduce water waste through water-efficient fixtures, technologies and techniques by adopting “WaterSense” practices, such as assessing water-intensive equipment for proper operation and efficiency can help to eliminate water waste. https://www.epa.gov/watersense/best-management-practices

2. Develop An Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Program that features both responsive and pro-active approaches to IDDE incidents, that addresses comprehensive sources including dry-weather flows, sanitary wastewater or industrial and commercial pollutant entries, failing septic tank systems, vehicle maintenance activities, and others as applicable. 

3. Create a company/institutional culture of environmental awareness and stewardship, such as sustainability offices and initiatives on college and corporate campuses; encouraging and incentivizing the development of clubs, volunteer opportunities, community events, etc.; promote and adopt company-wide behaviors through physical/structural, such as company-wide HHW bins, additional trash bins where litter has been a problem, and pet waste bag stations in appropriate locations.   

(3) Developers and Contractors (construction):

1- Obtain and comply with General Construction Permit (Utah DWQ)

https://deq.utah.gov/water-quality/general-construction-storm-water-updes-permits

2- Develop a daily practice of Controlling Construction Stormwater Discharges. Everyone on the job can help to prevent stormwater pollution by adopting these practices:

●      Design, install, and maintain effective erosion and sediment controls, and pollution prevention measures, to minimize the discharge of pollutants;

●      Stabilize disturbed areas immediately when construction has ceased and will not resume for more than 14 days;

●      Prohibit the dewatering discharges unless managed by appropriate controls;

●      Prohibit the discharge of: Wastewater from concrete washout or washout/cleanout of stucco, paint, form release oils, other wastewater materials; Fuels, oils, or other pollutants used for vehicles; and soaps or solvents to wash vehicles and equipment.

(4) MS4 owned or operated facilities:

1- Utilize Low Impact Development Principles to conserve natural areas; minimize development impacts; maintain site runoff rate and control small storms, implement integrated management practices (control volume and pollutant loads), and ensure pollution prevention, proper maintenance, and public education programs.

2-Practice Stormwater Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping in Municipal Operations and Facilities to assess potential stormwater impacts; to inform the development, implement, and train on a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan

3-Emphasize Nutrient Pollution prevention as a critical element to addressing stormwater pollution prevention at MS4 owned and operated facilities, including eliminating or minimizing fertilizer usage, avoiding fertilizer application before or during storms, planting native plants, avoiding overwatering, installing pet waste bagging stations, .

Building Political and Public Will for environmental change https://environment.yale.edu/news/article/building-public-and-political-will-for-climate-change-action