Stormwater season is upon us! If you haven’t reviewed your company stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) recently or are unsure of the monitoring parameters required under your Standard Industrial Code (SIC) within the current Industrial General Permit (IGP), now is a good time to review your monitoring responsibilities. Monitoring locations are identified in the SWPPP, and tests are typically specific to your industry and dictated by your SIC code. It is always advisable to review the SWPPP so that you make certain your organization is in compliance with the region’s…
Stormwater Preparedness: Are You Ready for Stormwater Season?
Stormwater season is upon us! If you haven’t reviewed your company stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) recently or are unsure of the monitoring parameters required under your Standard Industrial Code (SIC) within the current Industrial General Permit (IGP), now is a good time to review your monitoring responsibilities. Monitoring locations are identified in the SWPPP, and tests are typically specific to your industry and dictated by your SIC code. It is always advisable to review the SWPPP so that you make certain your organization is in compliance with the region’s…
An Ounce of Preparation Wise For Stormwater Monitoring Season In Spite of Likely La Nina Winter
Autumn is here and California’s rainy season, which typically lasts from November to April, is right around the corner, but this year’s stormwater season may not see many storms. The latest data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) suggests California could be heading into a La Nina winter for the second year in a row. Despite the lack of rain clouds brewing in the near future, now is a good time to start dusting your stormwater management plans.
The El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon is an important factor in global climate patterns and rainfall. Scientists categorize ENSO as a single ocean-atmospheric phenomenon with three phases: El Nino, La Nina, and neutral. During a La Nina, sea surface temperatures (SST) in the equatorial Pacific drop below normal thresholds and trigger a….
It’s Not Over When the Fire Goes Out
As 2021 enters peak fire season, firefighters across the state are battling over a dozen blazes. This year, record breaking temperatures paired with unusually dry conditions have set California up for a devastating fire season that could surpass last year’s already unprecedented wildfires. So far, Cal Fire reports roughly 2 million acres burned and over 3,000 homes, businesses, and other structures damaged or destroyed in the 2021 fire season. The Dixie fire, which has burned for two months and scorched over 900,000 acres of Northern California, is now the second largest fire in state history--right behind the August Complex of 2020.
Even as heroic firefighters work to contain the blazes, state officials warn that ongoing drought conditions could extend this year’s fire season. California entered 2021 bone-dry after an exceptionally mild winter and overall the entire state is experiencing moderate drought conditions, according to the US Drought Monitor. 45% of California is experiencing D4 or “exceptional” drought conditions, the most severe classification. Winter isn’t likely to bring much relief either. Recent federal climate forecasts are predicting another La Nina weather event, which means a warm, dry winter for much of California. Amid these increasingly dry and hot conditions, Californians can expect the fire season to….
Lead and Copper Rule
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) is proposing a revised Lead and Copper Rule to be implemented in 2024, or later. Revisions to the rule include modifications in sample collection for those sample sites with Lead Service Lines versus those without Lead Service Lines. A Lead Service Line is a lead pipe that connects tap-water service between a water main and house or building….
Purple is the New Green: IEUA Invests in Expanded Water Recycling Facility
A cheap and sustainable water conservation method is the proverbial silver bullet of California’s water politics, but it is not easy finding a solution friendly to both our environment and wallets. Many experts believe that, of the methods available, wastewater recycling is California’s best way forward. One major local proponent of water recycling is the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, or IEUA. Last fall, IEUA began constructing an expanded recycling facility in Chino, San Bernardino County. Their expanded facility will be able to treat 22.5 million gallons of wastewater per day--the agency’s most ambitious recycling project yet.
Wastewater recycling is a familiar concept to California. As far back as the 1800s, farmers utilized wastewater for growing crops. By 1910, 35 sites used recycled water for agricultural purposes, and by 1918 California adopted the first health regulations governing wastewater reuse. Nowadays, our state reuses approximately 714,000 acre-feet of water annually, or 2.3x1011 gallons. Despite conveying so much water through purple pipes, California’s recycling programs still have a great deal of room to grow. The state could potentially recycle millions more acre-feet of water each year and has set an aggressive goal of achieving 2,5 million acre feet of recycling by 2030.
The IEUA is at the forefront of expanding recycling programs. In a recent press release about their Chino facility, IEUA General Manager Shivaji Deshmukh stated…