Keeping Our Community Waters Clean
The Clean Water Challenge
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the primary cause of water quality problems in the U.S. today is not from factories or wastewater treatment plants, but rather something called “nonpoint source pollution.” Nonpoint source pollution is runoff from rainfall, snowmelt, or irrigation that picks up soil and contaminates as it runs over land or under ground, eventually depositing them into surface waters or introducing them into ground water. To address specifically the problem of pollution from storm water runoff, industries and municipalities across the nation are being required to obtain National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, under the direction of our nation’s Clean Water Act, issued an NPDES permit to Davidson County , making us responsible for improving and protecting the quality of water allowed to enter the “Waters of the State.” This means that any ditch, culvert, or conveyance that routes water to area streams and rivers must be kept free of pollutants.
What Metro Nashville is Doing
In Metropolitan Nashville/Davidson County, storm water that flows into drainage ditches, gutters, and storm drains is not treated before it makes its way into our waterways. As a result, the products of our everyday activities – oil and gasoline, litter, pet wastes, pesticides, fertilizers, wash water, even soil and yard clippings – get swept up in storm water and become pollutants that can kill aquatic life, limit the use of our waters for recreational and other purposes, and create eyesores. More than half of the contamination in our waterways today is caused by storm water pollution. The goal of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County (Metro) NPDES permit is to develop and implement storm water pollution controls that will make our waterways “fishable, swimmable, and environmentally safe.” As part of this effort, Metro Water Services has in place a multifaceted storm water management program that addresses:
Construction: We encourage and enforce proper erosion control measures at construction sites.
Spill Response: Metro has an established hazardous materials spill response plan that minimizes damage to the environment.
Industrial Inspections: We are providing ongoing inspection and/or monitoring of local industries for environmental compliance.
Monitoring: We regularly monitor the water quality of our local streams/watersheds.
Roadways: We are increasing street sweeping efforts and are utilizing more efficient, environmentally friendly road salting methods.
Illicit Discharge and Dumping: We are identifying illegal discharges to our storm water conveyances and enforcing discharge regulations.
Public Education: We are developing and carrying out programs and methods to educate the public and industries on storm water-related environmental issues.
Public Reporting: We provide a storm water pollution telephone hotline (313-PURE) for reports related to any discharges or activity that is contributing to water pollution. An inspector follows up on all notifications.
Infrastructure: We have inventoried and documented the location and condition of the county’s storm water drainage system.
Development/ Redevelopment: We consider, implement, and encourage best management practices to minimize negative environmental impacts from storm water runoff. Healthy lakes, rivers, and streams directly impact property values and the quality of life we enjoy. Each of us has a responsibility to be a part of Metro’s pollution solution by controlling what we purposefully and inadvertently put down our storm drains. This responsibility begins by understanding where pollutants come from. For example, many common household products – such as oven cleaners, paint and paint removers, cleaning fluids, and moth balls – and motor oil contain toxic ingredients that can become a threat to public health and the environment if not properly used or discarded. Wash water contains detergents, oil, grease, metals, dirt, and other pollutants released by the washing process. Fertilizers and pesticides washing off our lawns can deplete lakes and rivers of oxygen needed by aquatic life and wildlife. Even waste from the family pet can contain bacteria and viruses that contaminate waterways.
By following the suggestions within our Stormwater Pollution Prevention Guide you take an important step in helping to clean up our waterways and assist Metro in meeting its NPDES permit requirements. Report illicit discharges or illegal dumping into storm drains by calling Metro’s storm water pollution hotline at 615-313-PURE.