Did you know most of our water pollution comes from an accumulation of many sources? Construction work creates a potential for erosion and sediment that can escape to nearby waterways and many industrial facilities and companies create unexpected and undetected pollutants. The common denominator is stormwater. When it rains, stormwater can easily pick up and carry contaminants to water drainage systems that eventually find their way to an outfall and into a wetland, stream, or lake.
Industrial facilities need best management practices (BMPs) implemented to reduce and potentially eliminate pollutants exposed to stormwater. There are thousands of industrial-type businesses, and all are categorized into specific industrial sectors and types by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).
The Multi-Sector Generic Permit (MSGP) is intended to cover stormwater discharges from many types of industrial businesses. Activities from lumber and wood products, chemical and manufacturing, automobile salvage yards, scrap and waste material processing and storage, and recycling facilities to name a few. Because there are so many circumstances that may influence the presence of pollutants in stormwater discharges, the MSGP will provide specific industry sectors with described unique pollution prevention plan requirements.
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requires that thirty industrial sectors file for the MSGP permit with the FDEP. Once this permit has been obtained, regular monitoring and reporting needs to be performed at the site year-round. This monitoring checks to make sure areas at your facility that may be exposed to stormwater are sufficiently protected from becoming a source of pollution outside of the area of industrial activity.
To be covered by the permit, sites also need to keep a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) book on site. This plan has a complete record of every aspect of the permit and is continuously updated throughout the facility’s lifetime.
Contact KCI to find out how we can keep your industrial facility stay compliant with government mandated environmental regulations. Contact us at 888-346-7779.
