subject: Thinking Forward With Storm Water Management [print this page] Land development is a fast becoming a lucrative industry. All around the world natural soil is being transformed into concrete roads, shopping malls, or high-rise buildings. Because of this rapid change in environment, the prevalence of impervious surfaces over natural soil has become almost imminent.
Impervious surfaces are the result of land development and construction. Because of the fact that these surfaces are often made from nearly non-porous materials such as asphalt, steel, or concrete, rain or storm water cannot be easily absorbed into the ground and is therefore carried along a series of water management systems that often allow pollutants to get into and contaminate the water.
Considering the amount of annual rainwater that falls on any given location, an increase in the amount of impervious surfaces, without sufficiently appropriate water management, could lead to a very serious problem for the country water pollution.
Storm water management is a water pollution control system that helps maintain the quality and quantity of water that is produced during precipitation events such as rain storms or the melting of snow. These can be anything from physical water pollution control devices such as sediment filters and rainwater basins, to operational protocols such as limiting the amount pesticide use.
Building contractors are often required to comply with state and local storm water regulations; otherwise they could be subject to lawsuits or complaints that can prove costly. They are, after all, responsible for ensuring that sediments from rain water do not run off from their construction site into nearby bodies of water by implementing storm water management systems during construction.
Additionally, contractors are required to acquire certain permits before construction, depending on the amount of land disturbed. Also, stormwater management BMP or best management practices can vary depending on state and local regulations.
Developing storm water management and prevention plans ensures that the environment is protected during the course of construction. As houses and buildings or any other form of infrastructure such as bridges can take months, even years to complete construction; it is important that contractors implement a storm water management system that will last the entire duration of the construction phase.
by: Chris Cole
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