Eco-Friendly BMPs for Industrial Systems

Best management practices (BMPs) for stormwater management are vital to improving water quality, controlling pollution, and reducing floods. Which sustainable stormwater BMPs for industrial systems can you implement today? How do you get started? Who can help? Your effective stormwater management questions – answered!

Understand the Risks

The industry is under tremendous pressure to develop control measures that reduce stormwater pollutants. When putting together a set of workable management practices, BMPs must focus on mitigating a facility's actual existing risks. For example, if your location stores chemicals, works with heavy metals, or discards oils, keeping them away from water sources is critical.

For many facility managers taking over a new location, cataloging these risks is critical. Cast a critical eye on the current practices of storing materials and chemicals, disposing of them, and working with them. There is always room for improvement; incoming facility managers can see a system setup with a fresh perspective.

Experts agree that cataloging existing risks is the first step to developing eco-friendly BMPs. Do you know what your stormwater drainage pattern looks like? Are hazardous materials in the path of runoff? Knowing the answers to these questions is more than just good housekeeping. It could prevent a catastrophic accident from affecting groundwater and nearby lakes or streams.

Work With Your Facility Staff to Reduce the Potential for Pollution in the First Place

There are many BMPs that you can implement based on your business's operations. One of these BMPs would be having dumpsters with lids at your facility. Others include material storage in sheds, moving chemicals out of the way of stormwater flows, and controlling dust at your facility.

Work with your staff to address problems and develop solutions. In some cases, this may require you to retrain employees to abide by the new rules. If necessary, remember also to update the employee handbook. In severe cases, you may have to change how the facility handles toxins and pollutants completely. Whenever possible, staff members should be involved in these processes. The greater the changes you make will be, the more important it is to work closely with employees to embrace these new ways of doing business.

Take Care of Storm Drains and Similar Infrastructure

Stormwater best management practices go beyond the initial installation of infrastructure. For example, a dry pond is a very common structure in industrial stormwater systems. It is ideal for holding stormwater runoff and capturing sediment. However, erosion is a serious problem. If sediment builds up, dry ponds will eventually stop functioning as designed. Two ways to help reduce erosion are to remove sediment as it accumulates and ensure that riprap is installed at pond outfalls.

While you may not have funds to redo the core infrastructure that is currently in place, ensure that you budget each year to maintain it. Many existing infrastructures are surprisingly durable and will perform fantastically with just a little bit of regular maintenance. If it is difficult to recall the last time your stormwater system was inspected or serviced, it has been too long.

Retention basins must be routinely cleaned and replanted to counteract dying vegetation. Bioswales are good solutions in areas with low water flow. Storm ponds and bioswale remediation return these structures to full functionality after a significant storm event or at the end of a rainy season.

Collaborate With Specialists in the Field of Storm Drain Cleaning and Associated Tasks

You have evaluated the risks of water contamination at your facility and put structural and non-structural BMPs in use. They work together to prevent stormwater from carrying contaminants into the groundwater or nearby bodies of water. It is important to note that putting these to work is only the first step. Now, you also need to maintain them. For most, if not all, industrial facility managers, doing so requires assistance from outside specialists.

CatchAll Environmental specializes in stormwater system maintenance, catch basin cleaning, pipe jetting, and more. We work hard to support all your sustainable stormwater BMPs for industrial systems that you may now be managing or have implemented recently. Our experts begin each project with an assessment to help you understand what is involved in keeping your BMPs effective. Additional services include BMP management and municipal reporting.

Keep your facilities up and running; call for an appointment today!