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Construction/Municipal NPDES Permitting

Achieving stormwater compliance is more complex than it appears at first glance. Whether you are a city or county, home builder, developer, or general contractor it is difficult to keep up with changing regulations, the rising costs of compliance, and enforcement issues. SEH offers its Compliance Alliance team to help you manage that complexity. Our team helps you balance two key aspects of your stormwater program:

• The first—cost-effectively meeting regulatory requirements as well as your own internal program standards.
• The second—closing gaps in your program so the risk of non-compliance is reduced.

Optimize your compliance practices
With more than 80 years of experience, national perspectives and industry relationships, SEH can be trusted to provide real solutions. SEH offers the ability to design lower cost solutions, improve project efficiencies, streamline the flow of information, and implement complete compliance programs. These solutions will yield results for your organization and the environment. Compliance Alliance solutions address the unique challenges and needs of the municipal and construction markets.

Stormwater Compliance at a Glance
Water pollution degrades surface waters making them unsafe for drinking, fishing, swimming, and other activities. As authorized by the Clean Water Act, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) controls water pollution by regulating point and non-point sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States. Point sources, the original target of the CWA, are discrete conveyances such as pipes or man-made ditches. Individual homes that are connected to a municipal system, use a septic system, or do not have a surface discharge do not need an NPDES permit; however, industrial, municipal, and other facilities must obtain permits if their discharges go directly to surface waters.

Non-Point sources are typified by stormwater run-off which falls in a broad area and flows over land until collected by a ditch, channel, curb line, drain inlet, pond, or other stormwater conveyance. Most active construction sites fall into the non-point source program of NPDES.

Since its introduction, the NPDES permit program has been responsible for significant improvements to our Nation's water quality. SEH provides expert guidance to facility owners, developers and contractors to navigate and comply with local, state and federal stormwater regulations.

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In addition to offering compliance services from SEH's offices in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain area, we now offer Stormwater Compliance Services in the Mid-Atlantic.

Key links to more information:

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• The Clean Water Act (CWA)
• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Program (NPDES)
• National Menu of Stormwater Best Management Practices