A quarterly Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) for industrial facilities, outlined within the Multi-Sector Generic Permit for Stormwater Discharge (MSGP) describes the process to collect a quarterly water sample at a designated, pre-determined, outfall location(s). The samples collected will provide information about the quality of water being discharged from an industrial site. These quarterly samples are used to benchmark pollutant concentrations as an indicator of the performance of best management practices. The is usually performed in Years 2 and potentially 4 of permit coverage.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) expects that compliance within the MSGP for stormwater discharges to a waterbody does not exceed the applicable state of Florida water quality standards. If at any time permittees become aware, or FDEP determines, that the permittee’s discharge contributes to an exceedance of applicable water quality standards, the permittees will be expected to take appropriate corrective action to minimize the pollutants.
Permit regulations within the industrial sector can often be complex. The MSGP acts as a rigorous guideline to help industrial facilities regulate stormwater discharge. The MSGP permit is for facilities that handle materials that may be exposed to precipitation such as loading and unloading cargo, harmful substances, materials, or products stored outdoors. Depending on your industrial sector, there are specific standards regards to water sampling and testing specific pollution types.
What is a DMR Exceedance letter? It is an acknowledgment from the FDEP that your sites water samples are above the standards for one or potential pollutants or multiple pollutants specific to your sector. An exceedance letter also signifies an acknowledgment from the FDEP that you will take corrective action to reduce the pollutant levels.
How does this happen and what does it mean? Common with industrial permitting is the need for quarterly stormwater sampling at your designated discharge point. Discharges must be controlled as necessary to ensure that the receiving waterbody does not exceed the applicable water quality standards.
What should you do if you receive a DMR exceedance letter? It is important to understand an exceedance letter does not constitute a facility is out of compliance. The parameters of water sampling for a particular industrial sector are set up to test the effectiveness of the best management practices in place. Steps should be taken to identify the source of the pollution and evaluate the effectiveness of the respective BMPs. Once any changes have been made, this should reduce the detectable pollutants in future samples.
If there are any questions or concerns, please reach out to KCI and we would be happy to assist. For more information on sector specifics and other industrial processes, please visit kcinow.com and see how we can help!
