BEST PRACTICES

Even when not required by environmental regulations, the following best practices are recommended.

• Maintain good housekeeping. Keep outdoor areas clean and free from litter. Sweep footpaths and roadways.
• Cover all waste bins to prevent the infiltration of rainfall or snow, which can leach out oil and other contaminants that would end up in the storm drains.
• Prevent and respond to spills quickly. Do not let material enter the storm water collection system. Keep adequate spill response kits and equipment available to respond to spills of oil, fuel, grease and other material. Train responders in proper response procedures.
• Think about how you might control or eliminate potential sources of storm water pollution. For example:
  - Minimize the use of fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, perhaps by implementing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program.
  - Don’t allow run off from non-permitted activities such car or vehicle washing to enter sewers or drains.
  - Focus irrigation water so that paved areas such as sidewalks, roadways and parking lots are not wetted, leading to unnecessary runoff.
  - Clean up leaves and lawn clippings so they don’t enter storm water collection systems and potentially clog them.
  - Encourage employees to not litter. Place trashcans in strategic locations and maintain them periodically.
• Train employees in the importance of storm water pollution control. Some employees should be trained in spill response techniques. All should be trained to not discharge material to the storm water collection system.
• Invest in appropriate treatment and storm water control infrastructure including drop inlets, channels, retention and detention basins, treatment vaults, infiltration galleries, filters, oil/water separators, etc.
• Use riprap, vegetation, and other slope stabilisation techniques to control sediment and erosion. Make it a project requirement to control runoff from construction and excavation activities.
• Perform periodic inspections to identify potential sources of storm water pollution and assess effectiveness of control measures.