Institutions, Industrial and  Commercial Facilities

Industrial activities and storage and handling of materials at commercial and industrial facilities have the potential to pollute stormwater runoff with sediment, chemicals, oil and grease, metals, and trash. Stormwater runoff can pick up these items, thereby contaminating the storm water. It carries the pollutants right into the storm drains, which flow directly into our streams, rivers and lakes.

Best Management Practices (BNPs), simple and effective methods to prevent the pollution of stormwater, should be implemented by commercial and industrial facilities
to prevent pollutants from being picked up by stormwater. Implementing stormwater BmPs is a vital part of protecting Salt Lake County waterways. 

Stormwater Practices for 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.

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency produced this guide (2015) for industrial facilities, which includes most common pollutants of concern for industrial stormwater and how to prepare and implement a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan.

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency produced this guide (2015) for industrial facilities, which includes most common pollutants of concern for industrial stormwater and how to prepare and implement a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Matters for Your Business (Ontario example)

Topic Specific Resources

Use of salt or other deicing materials (cover/prevent runoff to storm system and contamination to ground water)

Proper storage and management of materials and dumpsters (cover and pollution prevention)

Stormwater Infiltration example- pavers on parking lot

Benefits of appropriate onsite infiltration of storm water