NPDES Phase II
In 1972, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program was established under the authority of the Clean Water Act. The Phase I and II stormwater permitting programs associated with NPDES were delegated to the NC Division of Water Quality (DWQ)for implementation. The Phase I stormwater program began in 1990 and applies to North Carolina local governments that had populations of 100,000 or more at that time. The Phase II stormwater program applies to local governments that have been selected by automatic designation, state designation, or petitioning. Since the Town of Apex owns and operates a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) and is within the Raleigh Urbanized Area boundary, DWQ automatically designated Apex to be brought into the program. Apex received their Phase II permit from DWQ in 2005.
Learn more about the NPDES Phase II Stormwater Program.
Phase II local governments are required to develop and implement a stormwater management program that includes six Minimum Control Measures (MCM):
- Public Education & Outreach
- Public Involvement and Participation
- Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination
- Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Controls
- Post-Construction Stormwater Management
- Pollution Prevention & Good Housekeeping
1. Public Education & Outreach
MCM #1 is a program designed to distribute educational materials to the community or conduct equivalent outreach activities about the impacts of stormwater discharges on water bodies and the steps the public can take to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff.
The Town of Apex is a member of the Clean Water Education Partnership (CWEP). CWEP is a cooperative effort between local governments, State agencies, and non-profit organizations to protect water quality in the Tar-Pamlico, Neuse, and Cape Fear River Basins.
Please see these Stormwater Tips that you and your family can incorporate into your everyday lives to help Apex remain compliant with their Phase II permit.
Contact stormwater staff at (919) 249-3427 for more information!
2. Public Involvement & Participation
MCM #2 is a program to reach out and engage all economic and ethnic groups and provide opportunities for the public to participate in program development and implementation.
How can you get involved?
- Provide your feedback through our online form.
- Label storm drains in your community by participating in our Storm Drain Marking Program.
- Help keep our waterways clean by participating in a local Big Sweep event. You can join a team of volunteers to walk a section of stream picking up trash and recyclables along the way.
- Adopt a Stream by joining Stream Watch and keep an eye on a stream near you.
Contact stormwater staff at (919) 249-3427 for more information!
3. Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination
MCM #3 is a program to develop, implement and enforce detection and elimination of all illicit discharges to our stormwater system. Federal regulations define an illicit discharge as “any discharge to a Municipally Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) that is not composed entirely of stormwater.” As part of the requirement of MCM #3, the Town has inventoried all stormwater drainage features within Apex corporate limits.
Illicit discharges result in untreated flows to the stormwater system that contribute high levels of pollutants, including heavy metals, toxics, oil and grease, solvents, nutrients, viruses, and bacteria to receiving water bodies. Pollutant levels from these illicit discharges have been shown in EPA studies to be high enough to significantly degrade receiving water quality and threaten aquatic, wildlife, and human health.
The storm sewer system is often confused with the sanitary sewer system. In Apex, these are two distinctly separate systems. Flows to the sanitary sewer system (e.g. flushing toilets, shower drains, kitchen sink drains, etc.) are treated at the Apex Water Reclamation Facility. Flows to the stormwater system (through curbs on the edge of the street and all stormwater inlets) usually go to the nearest creek, stream, or lake and do not receive treatment at a plant.
In 2008 the Town of Apex adopted an ordinance to establish an Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) program including a provision for assessing civil penalties on violators. Environmental Programs personnel investigate illicit connections and improper disposals to the stormwater system. Examples of illicit connections and improper disposals include someone dumping paint or yard debris into a storm drain or creek, or a spill of a hazardous material that enters the stormwater system.
Report Polluters!
Only rain belongs in the storm drain. Call 919-249-3427 to report illicit discharge violators. Many environmental problems can be resolved as a result of these investigations. You can make a difference by calling!
Please have the following information ready when you call:
- Your name and contact information (if you would like a follow-up call).
- Location of the incident.
- When you witnessed the incident (date and time).
- What materials were involved in the incident.
Check out the Town’s IDDE brochure for more information. Thank you for helping to keep the waters of Apex clean!
4. Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Controls
MCM #4 involves a program to develop, implement and enforce reductions of pollutants to the Town’s MS4 from construction activities that disturb one acre or more of land. The #1 pollutant of surface water in North Carolina is sediment!
Learn more about the Town Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Program. The objectives of the program are listed below.
- Reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff from construction activities disturbing one or more acres of land.
- Provide procedures for public input, sanctions to ensure compliance, requirements for construction site operators to implement appropriate erosion and sediment control practices, review of site plans which incorporates consideration of potential water quality impacts, and procedures for site inspection and enforcement of control measures.
- Establish requirements for construction site operators to control waste such as discarded building materials, concrete truck washout, chemicals, litter, and sanitary waste.
5. Post-Construction Stormwater Management
MCM #5 is a program to develop, implement and enforce management of post-construction stormwater discharges into the Town’s MS4. This includes both structural and non-structural Best Management Practices (BMPs).
Non-structural BMPs are typically passive or programmatic and tend to be source control or pollution prevention BMPs that reduce pollution in runoff by reducing the opportunity for the stormwater runoff to be exposed to the pollutants. Structural BMPs refer to physical structures designed to remove pollutants from stormwater runoff, reduce downstream erosion, provide flood control, and promote groundwater recharge. Structural BMPs require engineering design and engineered construction.
The post-construction runoff control program applies to new developments that disturb an acre or more of land, including projects less than an acre that are part of a larger common plan of development or sale. The post-construction runoff control program is designed to control stormwater runoff from new development sites and to ensure long term operation and maintenance of structural BMPs. Please refer to the Stormwater BMPs page for more information on structural BMPs in Apex.
6. Pollution Prevention & Good Housekeeping
MCM #6 is a program to develop and implement an O&M program that includes a training component and has the ultimate goal of preventing or reducing pollutant runoff from municipal operations. Public Works staff is trained on a regular basis.
Each municipal facility has been mapped and inspected and any potential adverse effects on stormwater have been documented.
As a homeowner, you can apply these same stormwater pollution prevention and good housekeeping principles around your house. Household Hazardous Waste is a prime example of a stormwater pollution prevention issue that may come up at home.