How To Have An Understanding Relationship With Your Lab
Many facilities run into communication issues when attempting to obtain sample kits for stormwater collection, this blog discusses key steps to...
California is getting ready to wrap up the stormwater reporting year. Are you prepared? Do you know what your facility is required to complete?
June is just around the corner and many facilities are beginning to wrapping up their stormwater reporting year. There are two main requirements in California’s Industrial General Permit (IGP) that need to be completed to sum up the reporting year, the Annual Comprehensive Facility Compliance Evaluation (whew what a mouthful, we call it an ACFCE for short), and the Annual Report completed in the Stormwater Multiple Applications and Report Tracking System or SMARTS. So what is an ACFCE?
Annual Comprehensive Facility Compliance Evaluation
The ACFCE is basically an annual review and evaluation of a facility’s industrial stormwater program for each reporting year (July 1st – June 30th). ACFCEs should be conducted no less than eight months and no more than 16 months, after the previous ACFCE was completed. If it is conducted outside of this time period, then there should be a justification, in the evaluation, of why this was done. Though facilities are given an eight-month gap of time that you are allowed to complete your ACFCE within, we highly suggest that facilities complete it in May or June every year. Completing this evaluation by May or June will help to prepare the facility for the Annual Report which is due July 1st. The following is a list of the minimum requirements for the ACFCE:- A review of all sampling, visual observation, and inspection records conducted during the previous reporting year;
- An inspection of all areas of industrial activity and associated potential pollutant sources for evidence of, or the potential for, pollutants entering the stormwater conveyance system;
- An inspection of all drainage areas previously identified as having no exposure to industrial activities and materials in accordance with the definitions in Section XVII;
- An inspection of equipment needed to implement the BMPs;
- An inspection of any BMPs;
- A review and effectiveness assessment of all BMPs for each area of industrial activity and associated potential pollutant sources to determine if the BMPs are properly designed, implemented, and are effective in reducing and preventing pollutants in industrial stormwater discharges and authorized NSWDs; and,
- An assessment of any other factors needed to comply with the requirements in Section XVI.B.
Annual Report
This winter brought more rain then California has seen in many years. Thanks to the weather conditions most facilities were able to collect the required four Qualifying Storm Events (QSEs) for the reporting year. For the few that were not able to collect all of their required samples, an explanation will need to be given in the Annual Report for why all required samples were not collected. Other things that will be reviewed in your Annual Report (AR) are;
- monthly monitoring forms,
- all aspects of sampling requirements,
- has the discharger submitted a Representative Sampling Reduction,
- has the discharge submitted a Sampling Frequency Reduction,
- are certain pollutants (listed out) present at the facility and if yes are they in the SWPPP
- has contained water been discharged,
- when was the ACFCE completed (why it is good to complete before AR),
- and record keeping.
It is wise to have all of your records reviewed and in order before you complete the AR, so that you are able to answer all of the questions correctly. For step-by-step instructions for completing your Annual Report check out the Water Boards guide. At Mapistry we conduct many of our customer’s ACFCEs and ARs on their behalf, this is a great way to have a professional review your stormwater program and complete the end of the year requirements for the IGP.
