Stormwater needs a dedicated system to allow it to properly flow in the direction of the greatest and most positive impact on the environment. Long ago, it was quite common to simply allow the rain and stormwater to run off from the streets directly into the local sewer system. The primary challenge with this strategy was that most residential and urban sewer systems were not adequately designed to process the abundance amount of stormwater runoff.
In the past, sewer and stormwater were often handled together, leading to pollution and health concerns. In densely populated urban areas, the lack of effective sanitation systems could result in the contamination of water sources. The growth of modern cities, there was a recognition of the need for separate systems to manage stormwater and sewer. This led to the development of separate stormwater and sanitary sewer systems to reduce pollution and better manage water flow.
Most local development and cities now use municipal separate storm sewer systems, usually abbreviated as MS4s. These are networks of ditches, curbs, gutters, sewer pipes, and outfalls solely dedicated to moving stormwater runoff to local waterways that eventually carry it away. Inlets represent a starting point for a direct path between the street and the nearest creek, Lake, or river.
The Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, or SWPPP, is a comprehensive document designed to identify potential sources of stormwater pollution at a construction site or an industrial facility and to outline practices and measures to prevent or control the discharge of pollutants into stormwater runoff. The MS4 inlet areas for each discharge point should be determined and labeled on the site map within a SWPPP. Inlets refer to points where stormwater enters a drainage system. Managing inlets is crucial to prevent the introduction of pollutants into the stormwater runoff. This may involve the use of sediment controls, filtration devices, or other best management practices to capture and treat runoff before it enters the drainage system.
KCI can help implement a SWPPP and continuously monitor your site to ensure potential pollutants do not make it into our local waterways through inlets. Call KCI on 888-346-7779 to learn more.