The Water Quality Control Division (the Division) in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is tasked with administering water quality control programs to protect waters of the state. The Division provides education, compliance assistance, permits, inspections and enforcement to promote prevention, control and abatement of water pollution. Per HB121119, the Division has been meeting since June (a total of 10 meetings) with stakeholders in the construction industry and other interested parties to develop a more responsive, streamlined process to improve compliance, reduce violations and provide timely enforcement. This report includes the results of this collaborative effort, including actions to develop more streamlined and responsive processes and recommendations for moving forward.
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The State of Colorado initiated the effort to develop an after action report (AAR) to identify strengths and areas for improvement observed during response and recovery efforts for both the 2013 Floods and the Black Forest Fire.
The federal Clean Water Act requires that stormwater discharges from certain types of facilities be authorized under stormwater discharge permits. The goal of the stormwater permits program is to reduce the amount of pollutants entering streams, lakes and rivers as a result of runoff from residential, commercial and industrial areas. The original 1990 regulation covered municipal (i.e., publicly-owned) storm sewer systems for municipalities over 100,000 population. The regulation was expanded in 1999 to include smaller municipalities as well. This expansion of the program is referred to as Phase II.
Air quality discussions address the emissions of pollutants from transportation systems which can be harmful to human beings, the natural environment, and the integrity of man-made materials. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) conducts air quality evaluations for its projects. The CDOT Environmental Programs Branch (EPB) or Regional Air Quality Specialist evaluates the potential for air quality impacts from a proposed transportation project and then determines if coordination with the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment Air Pollution Control Division.
Storm water runoff is water from rain or snowmelt that does not immediately infiltrate into the ground, and instead flows through natural or man-made conveyance or storage systems. Stormwater runoff volume is greater in areas with high proportions of impervious surfaces (e.g., paved roads, buildings, parking lots, etc.). Runoff from areas where industrial activities are conducted can contain pollutants when facility practices allow exposure of industrial materials or activities to stormwater. To regulate the amount of pollutants entering Colorado Waters, the Colorado Water Quality Control Act mandates that certain types of industrial activities that discharge stormwater to state waters must obtain coverage under a Colorado Discharge Permit System (CDPS) permit issued by the Colorado Water Quality Control Division.
