Building and Grounds Maintenance

The principles of buildings and grounds maintenance are as following:

• Clean up without water whenever possible, by sweeping or wiping; wash with as little water as possible

• Prevent and clean up spills as soon as possible

• Clean up debris to prevent it reach the stormwater drains

The EPA’s General Permit authorizes the following building and ground maintenance non-stormwater to be discharged into the drain directly:

• Routine exterior building washdown which does not use detergents or other compounds

• Pavement wash waters where spills or leaks of toxic or hazardous materials have not occurred and where detergents are not used

• Air conditioning condensate

If there is a concern of potential contamination of the wash down water, the discarding water may not be disposed into the stormwater drain directly. Drains should be temporarily blocked and the resulting discharges should be recovered and discharged to the sanitary sewer.

Stormwater drain inlets and catch basins need to be cleaned out twice a year; late in the dry weather season before the first storm, and after the first major storm of the wet weather season. Inspect the inlet after each large storm to remove debris and determine the need for sediment removal or other maintenance. Use a shovel or vacuum device to remove the materials from catch basin; flushing water is prohibited.

Rooftop drains or downspouts should be directed into a stormwater drain directly. They should not drain directly onto paved surfaces. If a grassy surface is large enough to receive the roof's entire runoff from a medium-sized storm without running into a paved area, it is an alternate way to direct rooftop drains or downspouts.

Copyright @ January,2005 Prepared by Transportation Environmental Resource Center (TERC)