City of Groveport Stormwater Management Program


Update for the City’s Website – 1st Quarter 2013


The City of Groveport manages a stormwater program in accordance with its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Permit (also known as a MS4 permit) issued by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.  The City completed the following tasks in the 1st Quarter, 2013:

     •    The City submitted its Annual Stormwater Compliance Report to Ohio EPA ;
     •    The City applied for an Ohio Environmental Education Fund Grant for a City-wide Rain Barrel and Residential Rain Garden Program;
     •    Monthly inspections were conducted for 7 construction sites covered under General Stormwater Permits for construction activity.  Two re-inspections were required to reach compliance for one facility;
     •    Two Post-Construction Operations and Maintenance plans were reviewed and approved, along with an Operations and Maintenance Agreement signed for the facility;
     •    A quarterly Stormwater Inspection was conducted at the Maintenance Facility;
 
The City held planning meetings to scope activities for the next MS4 permit period beginning in 2014 and to review items needing completion by the end of the current permit cycle.

If you observe a stormwater violation you would like to report to the City, please contact us at 614-836-5301 or send an email to stormwatercompliance@groveport.org.  Stormwater violations include, but are not limited to, sediment running off of construction sites, spills and dumping of chemicals, fuels or any other non-stormwater materials, including trash, into the storm sewers.

Thanks and remember, our stormwater ends up in the creeks and rivers in Groveport so let’s keep our natural areas clean!

Stormwater Utility Fact Sheet

Answers to these questions:

• What is a Stormwater Utility?
• Why is it needed?
• What is the status of the Stormwater Utility?
• How will the City collect the Stormwater fee?

Stormwater Utility Policy

The purpose of the Stormwater Management provision is to provide for effective management and financing of a stormwater system within the City.

Stormwater Credit Manual and Application Forms

The Intent of the Stormwater Credit Manual is to assist applicants through the City of Groveport Stormwater Credit process, which is defined under Chapter 939.18 of the City of Groveport Codified Ordinances.

To dispose of household hazardous waste or used oil, please visit the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio's (SWACO) Website -- www.swaco.org.

Spring has sprung! Yards are being mowed, gardens readied for planting…
While all of these activities are signs of the season, The City of Groveport needs your help in managing the quality of stormwater entering our streams and rivers through the City’s municipal storm sewer system.

Fertilizer Application Best Management Practices
The following guidelines should be followed when preparing and handling chemicals:
• Consider having the soil tested before applying fertilizer in order to determine what nutrients must be added
• Avoid application over impervious surfaces; sweep granular fertilizer back onto the grass to prevent it from
washing into the storm sewer system
• Apply when sufficient calm, dry weather is in the forecast to prevent drift and wash off. Lawn fertilization
programs should begin in fall, not in spring; this will prevent shallow root growth. Tree and shrub fertilization
programs should occur in late fall or early spring when the plants are dormant.
• Do not apply to bare or eroding soil
• Do not apply near water systems such as streams, lakes and ponds unless the product is specifically
designed for use in shoreline or aquatic environments
• Do not apply near wells
• Do not over fertilize. Too much nitrogen will cause plants to grow shallow roots creating a less hardy
landscape (e.g. especially bad for athletic fields and parks) that requires more watering. Healthy trees and
shrubs do not require annual fertilizing.
• Consider causes such as poor soils, insects, disease, or current weather patterns before applying fertilizer as
a remedy for poor growth

Fertilizer Alternatives
The following should be considered in lieu of traditional fertilizers:

Organic fertilizer
Most organic fertilizers release nutrients more slowly and contain lower concentrations of nutrients whereas fastrelease fertilizers can leach nutrients into the ground water. Commercial brands can be found at organic garden supply stores and at some farm and feed stores. Organic fertilizers have the additional benefit of recycling waste that would otherwise contribute to landfills and/or pollution.

Grass clippings
Mulching mowers create fine grass clippings that will break down and add nitrogen and organic matter to the soil. Leave grass clippings on the lawn over the season to provide the equivalent of one regular fertilizer application that will not cause thatch.

Aerate
Aerating a compacted lawn punches holes in the soil to allow air, water, and nutrients to reach the roots. Leave the small plugs of thatch and soil on your lawn and they will quickly decompose. The best time to aerate is in the early fall.

Now that summer is officially here and the kids are out of school, outdoor activities such as swimming, fishing, car washing and lawn care are a part of our everyday activities. All of these activities have one central thing in common: they impact our waterways in the City of Groveport.

The City has three main streams running through its corporation limits: Blacklick Creek, Big Walnut Creek and Walnut Creek. Not only do these streams provide recreational and fishing opportunities in our community, but they also act as a storm water conveyance system for City. In addition, when properly managed, these systems carry water away from the City to prevent flooding.

When it rains, runoff from roof tops, driveways, roadways, and other hard surfaces makes its way to the storm sewer system, where it eventually outlets to one of these three creeks either directly to or through smaller ditches and streams flowing to them. Stormwater carries a variety of pollutants such as oil and grease, sediment, bacteria, nutrients, heavy metals and litter.

In an effort to protect our valuable streams that become summer recreation sources during hot weather and the organisms and fish that live in them, the City would like to provide some tips to residents for controlling water pollution from stormwater discharges.

• Reuse stormwater by collecting it in rain barrels to water plants later.
• Stormwater runoff is most effectively controlled by slowing the water down and allowing it to infiltrate back into the ground slowly. Install pervious pavement, such as paving blocks, grid pavers, pervious concrete or pervious asphalt so water will infiltrate and not immediately run off.
• Pick up litter to keep our storm sewers and waterways clean.
• Install a rain garden to minimize runoff and treat stormwater with attractive native plants.
• If you live adjacent to a waterway, do not mow up to the ditch or stream bank; leave a tall grass buffer to minimize runoff and erosion.
• Do not dump anything in the storm sewer, such as antifreeze, cleaning supplies, motor oil, paint, etc.
• Do not use excessive amounts of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers on your lawn.
• Wash your car on the lawn or take it to a commercial carwash to minimize pollutant runoff.
• Make sure no chlorine is present in pool or spa water before draining the structure. Discharge the water slowly over an open grassy area, not into a stream or storm sewer system.
• If you have a septic system, keep it in good working order. Have your septic system inspected by a professional at least every 3 years, pump the septic tank when needed (about every 3 to 5 years), plant only grass over and near the drain field to avoid damage from tree roots and do not drive or park vehicles over the leach field.
• Pick up after your pet; pet waste contributes significant amounts of bacteria to our waterways. Dispose of pet waste in the trash.
• Take care to absorb spilled fluids from auto maintenance using absorbent towels or kitty litter. Dispose of these items in the trash.

Be the eyes and ears for the City: Report violations to Stephen Moore at 836-5301 or smoore@groveport.org. We can all do our part to protect our streams, one home and one business at a time.

Don’t Fall Back- Help Protect Our Local Water Resources! 

Fall is a beautiful time of year, as the summer heat gives way to cooling temperatures and falling leaves. Neighborhood activities seem to change with the seasons as people begin to spend more time in cleanup mode. Rakes and trash bags abound to deal with the change of season. With this change in weather, we must remember to be conscientious of the impact of our activities on our water resources. Rainy weather washes accumulated pollutants from your property down the storm drains, directly to our streams and rivers! Stormwater runoff can cause water contamination and blockages which may lead to flooding.

The following items should not be dumped into storm drains:

· Leaves, grass clippings, and other yard waste
· Car wash soaps
· Household and automobile hazardous waste, including paint, oil, batteries or other toxic materials
· Pet waste
· Chlorinated pool or spa water
· Litter

If you see someone dumping these materials down a storm drain, or know of a site that seems to be a problem, call the Franklin County Board of Health Nail-A-Dumper Hotline at 614-871-5322.

One simple way to make sure you are doing your part to reduce stormwater pollution is to rake leaves to the curb in front of your residence, rather than raking it onto the street or down the storm drain. Bag other yard waste for pickup and compost or recycle yard waste when possible.

Take your car to a car wash where the dirty soaps are disposed of into the sanitary sewer system. Dispose of pet waste by flushing it down the toilet or sealed within your solid waste container. To learn more about where to properly dispose of household hazardous waste like paints, solvents, and batteries, contact the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) at 614-871-5100.

Remember: everything washed or thrown into a storm drain flows directly to our streams and rivers. Help protect out local water resources. Ensure that only stormwater is entering our storm system, and become part of the stormwater pollution solution in your neighborhood!

You are the eyes of our community. To report a water pollution concern, please call the Village of Groveport’s Municipal Building at 614-836-5301.

Winter is just around the corner, and though this is great news if you are an avid skier or pond hockey player, for most of us winter also means getting up early to shovel snow from our walkways and cars before starting our drive to work or school. It’s hard to imagine that during these long, dark days of winter, anyone is thinking about the impact winter weather has on the quality of our lakes and streams. However, once you have had a chance to thaw out from your latest winter activity, consider that all the snow and ice you’ve been enjoying, or just plain coping with, will eventually melt and drain directly to our streams and rivers. Snow, just like rain, has the ability to accumulate and transport pollutants to our local water resources. Stormwater runoff can cause water contamination and blockages which may lead to flooding.

The following items should not be dumped into storm drains:

• Leaves, grass clippings, and other yard waste
• Car wash soaps
• Household and automobile hazardous waste, including paint, oil, batteries or other toxic materials
• Pet waste
• Litter
• Excess salt from deicing

Excess salt and other de-icing chemicals can harm aquatic life in our streams and impact drinking water supplies. This winter, you can help by following these environmentally – friendly snow removal practices:

• Shovel snow before it turns to ice to limit the need for de-icing chemicals like rock salt
• Shovel snow onto permeable surfaces including gently sloping and level landscape and grassy areas so as the snow melts it will soak into the ground rather than flow directly into a nearby storm drain or stream

If you must use de-icing chemicals, follow these suggestions...

• Control application of chemical de-icers - a little goes a long way, avoid applying too much
• Limit chemical applications near environmentally sensitive areas, such as drinking water wells
• Consider using salt substitutes that are less harmful to the environment and to concrete walkways, including Calcium Chloride and Calcium Magnesium Acetate, cat litter, and beet juice

If you see someone dumping any of the above materials down a storm drain, or know of a site that seems to be a problem, call the Franklin County Board of Health Nail-A-Dumper Hotline at 614-871-5322.

To learn more about where to properly dispose of household hazardous waste like paints, solvents, and batteries, contact the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) at 614-871-5100.

Remember: everything washed or thrown into a storm drain flows directly to our streams and rivers. Help protect out local water resources. Ensure that only stormwater is entering our storm system, and become part of the stormwater pollution solution in your neighborhood!

You are the eyes of our community. To report a water pollution concern, please call the Village of Groveport’s Municipal Building at 614-836-5301.