Storm Water Management

Storm water discharges are generated by runoff from land and impervious areas such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops during rainfall events and often contain pollutants in quantities that could adversely affect water quality. The City of El Paso in conjunction with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) – El Paso District have in place a Storm Water Management Program (SWMP) which includes pollution prevention measures, pollutant removal techniques, storm water monitoring, a storm water ordinance, inspections and enforcement, and other methods to control the quality of storm water discharged into the Rio Grande, drainage ditches, and arroyos. This SWMP is being implemented in accordance with Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) Permit No. WQ0004527000, which authorizes storm water discharges from the City of El Paso municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4).

Highlights of the City’s SWMP include:

1. Structural Controls
   • The Streets Department conducts regular inspection, maintenance and cleanout of conveyance structures (channels, retention basins, & storm sewer conduit).
2. Areas of New Development and Significant Redevelopment
   • Comprehensive planning is performed to assure protection to environmentally sensitive areas and to maintain efficient infrastructure.
   • Development regulations are in place to oversee zoning, site development, and subdivision development.
3. Roadways
   • The Streets Department implements a street sweeping program with enhanced efforts in the Central Business District and for major streets (Mesa, Montana, Alameda, and North Loop).
   • The Street Department conducts street maintenance activities; including, pothole patching, crack sealing, milling of asphalt surfaces, repair of base and asphalt, and maintenance of alleys and unpaved shoulders to reduce erosion.
4. Flood Control Projects
   • In conjunction with the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), the City inspects ACOE designed flood control projects on an annual basis. The City also works cooperatively with ACOE for the design and construction of new flood control projects.
5. Pesticide, Herbicide, and Fertilizer Application
   • The City-County Health District uses alternate methods for vector control (predatory fish for mosquito abatement) and has implemented a public awareness campaign regarding mosquito control.
   • The Streets and Park and Recreation Departments limit the application of herbicides through manual removal practices.
   • Eighty percent of the herbicides used by TxDOT are inert if they do not land on foliage. The remaining 20 percent of chemicals used are residual, last a maximum of 45 days before becoming inert.
6. Illicit Discharges and Improper Disposal
   • Environmental Services – Code Compliance investigates illicit discharge and improper disposal. The City has the authority for enforcement actions for these types of violations under Municipal Code - Chapter 15.20 Storm Water Management.
   • Environmental Services operates six Household Hazardous Waste Collection sites, Tuesday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at : 121 Atlantic, 2492 Harrison, 9000 Escobar, 4200 Delta, 7970 San Paulo, and 4501 Hondo Pass.
   • The City of El Paso implemented a curbside recycling program in April 2007, which collects aluminum, tin, plastics (#1 and #2), paper and cardboard.
7. Spill Prevention and Response
   • The El Paso Fire Department responds to hazardous materials spills to stabilize the incident and oversee clean-up actions.
   • The Street Department and Environmental Services Department (Solid Waste Management) require all of their truck drivers to perform a pre-trip inspection, which includes inspecting trucks for leaks and securing loads so that material is not spilled onto roadways.
   • The El Paso Fire Department inspects businesses for compliance with the City’s Fire Codes. Department inspections include a review of both non-hazardous and hazardous materials storage.
8. Industrial and High Risk Runoff
   • Environmental Services – Code Compliance maintains an inventory of industrial and high-risk facilities and conducts compliance inspections.
   • Industrial facilities with storm water discharges are required to obtain a permit with the City of El Paso and comply with the requirements of the TPDES Multi-Sector General Permit.
9. Construction Site Runoff
   • Environmental Services – Code Compliance conducts compliance inspections of construction sites.
   • Large and certain small construction site operators are required to obtain a permit with the City of El Paso and comply with the requirements of the TPDES Construction General Permit.
10. Public Education
    • The City of El Paso operates a telephone “Hot Line” (1-877-ID-FLOWS) for citizens to report illicit discharges and improper disposals. This “Hot Line” is also displayed on the City’s Code Compliance inspectors’ vehicles.
    • Environmental Services conducts a number of presentations each year to various organizations regarding storm water topics.
    • In partnership with Environmental Services, Keep El Paso Beautiful (KEPB) conducts outreach programs, presentations, press releases, public service announcements and educational programs.
11. Monitoring and Screening Programs
    • The City of El Paso monitors water quality at 5 discharge locations on an annual basis and conducts floatable surveys at 2 locations. The results are reported in the annual report to TCEQ and EPA.
    • Dry weather screening to identify illicit connections to the MS4 and wet weather screening to assess pollutant levels after storm events.

Related Forms and Documents
(pdf documents)

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Report – 2006 Annual Report
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System TPDES Permit
TCEQ Brochure – Construction Permits for Storm Water Discharges (English)
TCEQ Brochure – Construction Permits for Storm Water Discharges (Spanish)
Environmental Services – Storm Water Technical Bulletin
Environmental Services – Storm Water Permitting for Construction Technical Bulletin
Storm Water Brochure – English Version
Storm Water Brochure – Spanish Version
Map of City of El Paso Storm Drain System
City of El Paso Storm Drain Pollution Control Plan Application Form

Related Links

City of El Paso Municipal Code – Chapter 15.20 Storm Water Mangement
(http://ordlink.com/codes/elpaso/_DATA/TITLE15/Chapter_15_20_STORMWATER_MANAG.html)

TCEQ Assistance Tools for Storm Water Permitting (http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/assistance/sblga/sw.html)

US EPA – National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Storm Water Program
(http://cfpub1.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=6)

Keep El Paso Beautiful
(http://www.kepb.org/)

City of El Paso Recycling Website
(http://www.elpasorecycle.com/)

City-County Health District Vector Control Website
(http://www.elpasocitycountyhealth.com/environment/environment/Environment.asp#education)

El Paso Water Utilities – Water Conservation
(http://www.epwu.org/conservation/ordinance.html)

Texas Department of Transportation – Natural Resource Management Documents
(http://www.dot.state.tx.us/services/environmental_affairs/natural_resource_mgmt.htm)

print-version