Stormwater

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Stormwater

Mr. Jon Batson
Stormwater Director

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Mr. Jon Batson
Stormwater Manager

Ph: (864) 716-3620
Fax: (864) 260-1002
Email: jbatson@andersoncountysc.org

Office Location
Mon-Fri: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
731 Michelin Blvd.
Anderson, SC 29626

Note: To report material spilled, dumped or discharged to a storm drain or surface water that you believe to be an immediate threat to the public’s health or the environment, PLEASE CALL 864.260.4444 at any time.

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The Stormwater Department complies with federal and state regulations and permits associated with rainfall runoff from Anderson County’s facilities and operations. We also regulate private land development related to stormwater pollution during the construction process and after construction is complete. This is done through a permitting and inspection program. Lastly, we search for unnoticed pollution sources and work with the public to eliminate them. Although the department was created to comply with federal and state regulations and permits, the ultimate goal is to protect Anderson County’s lakes, streams, and groundwater from pollution.

Services Provided

Guidance and Education

Things you can do to protect the quality of stormwater:

Don’t dump anything down storm drains.
Use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly, especially on driveways, sidewalks, and roads.
Avoid pesticides or make earth-friendly homemade pesticides if possible.
Put litter in its place.
Recycle used motor oil.
Wash your car at a car wash or on your lawn.
Have a septic tank inspection every 3-5 years.
Vegetate bare spots/eroded areas in your yard.
Compost your yard waste.
Pick up after your pet.
Keep litter debris, leaves, and pet waste out of the street gutters and ditches.
Keep your yard equipment and automobiles well tuned so they don’t leak oil and chemicals into the storm drains.
Volunteer with local groups to clean and maintain your environment.

What you can do at work:

Do not dispose of cooking fats, oils, or grease in the storm drain near your building. It could clog the storm drain and result in flooding.
Do not flush wash waters or wastewaters into the storm drain.
Vehicle maintenance companies, asphalt companies, and other industrial stormwater dischargers may need to apply for a permit.

Land Development

Plan Review & Permits

Anderson County requires that all land disturbing activities disturbing one or more acres, including sites smaller than one acre that are part of a larger common plan of development ultimately disturbing one or more acres, obtain permit coverage for their stormwater discharges by submitting a stormwater management and sediment control plan. A stormwater management and sediment control plan must be certified by one of the following:

Registered professional engineers as described in S.C. Code 1976, § 40-22-10 et seq.
Registered landscape architects as described in S.C. Code 1976, § 40-28-10(a) et seq.
Tier B land surveyor as described in S.C. Code 1976, § 40-22-10 et seq.

A base fee of $850 plus $200 per disturbed acre for any application submitted is required.

Upon receipt of a stormwater plan submittal the Stormwater Department has 20 working days to review the plan and issue an approval letter or review comments transmitted to the applicant. If notice is not given or action not taken by the Stormwater Department within 20 working days, the plan is considered approved by default.

Once an applicant’s plan receives approval from Anderson County, a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit must also be obtained from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) before land disturbing activities can begin. An application fee of $125 is required for this permit, and permittees are responsible for arranging payment with SCDHEC. Anderson County will forward the approval letter and the Notice of Intent (NOI) to SCDHEC. Within 7 days of receiving this information and payment, SCDHEC will issue NPDES permit coverage or request to review the stormwater plan also before issuing a NPDES permit.

The Design Manual contains the stormwater design requirements and can be found in the Forms and Documents section below.

Would you like more information on the Certified Erosion Prevention & Sediment Control Inspector Program? In our area the CEPSCI program is available through Clemson University. It covers many topics and is available to a wide range of professionals.

Water Quality

Overview

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) conducts water quality monitoring to assess the health of the state's streams, rivers, and lakes. The water samples are analyzed for several different parameters such as bacteria (E. coli), pH, dissolved oxygen, suspended solids, nutrients, and metals. The results are then compared with water quality standards established by SCDHEC that take into consideration the use and value of the waterbody for public water supply for the protection of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and for recreational, agricultural, industrial, and navigational purposes. For more information on water quality standards: http://www.scdhec.gov/HomeAndEnvironment/Water/ImpairedWaters/Overview/#8

Impaired Waters

When monitoring finds that water quality standards are not being met, the waterbody is designated as impaired and placed on the 303(d) list. The list gets its name from the requirements of section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. The list is updated every two years. The most recent list was updated in 2016 and includes 24 monitoring stations located in Anderson County. An excel spreadsheet listing those can be downloaded here: 2016 303d Anderson County List. Waterbodies can be delisted if monitoring finds that they meet the water quality standards or if a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is created and approved by EPA for the waterbody and the pollutant exceeding the water quality standard.

SCDHEC Impaired Waters Information

Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL)

What is a TMDL?

A TMDL, or Total Maximum Daily Load, is the amount of a single pollutant (such as bacteria, nutrients, metals) that can enter a waterbody on daily basis and still meet water quality standards set fort by the state. “TMDL” refers to both a calculation of a pollutant entering a waterbody as well as a document which includes this calculation along with a source assessments, watershed and land use information, reductions and allocations information, implementation and other relevant information, maps, figures, and pictures.

TMDLs are a requirement found in Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. Once a site is included on the 303(d) list of impaired waters, a TMDL must be developed within two to thirteen years of initial listing. In South Carolina, TMDLs are developed and proposed by SCDHEC and then forwarded to EPA Region 4 for final approval.

TMDLs are calculated by adding all the point and nonpoint sources for the pollutant causing the impairment. After a TMDL is calculated, the amount of load entering from point and nonpoint sources is compared to the water quality standards for that waterbody. Then this total load is reduced to the levels of meeting water quality standards. This reduced load is then divided among all the point and nonpoint sources.

The goal of a TMDL is to identify potential pollution sources, calculate, and quantify the reduction of those sources and to implement general information needed in order to meet water quality standards and improve water quality. After the approval of the TMDL, an implementation plan can be developed to realize the goals of the written TMDL document. Implementation of a TMDL has a potential to reduce sources of pollution within a watershed and a potential to restore the full use of the water body.

SCDHEC’s TMDL Regulations (R 61-110) can be found at: TMDL Regulation