"CLEAN STORMWATER IS EVERYONE'S BUSINESS"
Background and Purpose
The Clean Water Act (CWA) was passed in 1972 to help protect and restore the waters in our Nation’s streams, rivers and lakes. In the early 1990’s, Phase I of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), under authority of the CWA, was passed to regulate the storm water management in large urban areas. Phase II regulations were later developed and passed requiring medium sized cities meeting certain population density criteria to develop storm water initiatives to address pollution associated with urban runoff. In March or 2003, Somerset, and numerous other “Phase II Cities and Counties” submitted permit applications to the Kentucky Division of Water outlining a 5 year plan for addressing the Phase II requirements.
The thought behind the Phase II program is that urban runoff is a chief cause of stream impairment, and that urban runoff can be managed in large part by effectively addressing a few key areas; educating and involving the public on the impacts of urban runoff and how the public can help, managing the storm sewer infrastructure and addressing illicit discharges (discharge of pollution/ polluted runoff), implementation of local regulatory authority, development of best management practices (BMP) for construction and post-construction activities, and environmentally sensitive and responsible municipal operations.
The goal of this program is to protect the surface and subsurface runoff in and around Somerset. Runoff polluted with sediment and other debris can disrupt drainage ways causing flooding. It adversely affects the quality of our surface water which can make waterways unsafe for swimming and fishing. Most of the our runoff makes its way to Lake Cumberland, which serves as the drinking water supply for several cities and towns including Somerset. Somerset’s Stormwater Ordinance and BMP manual give us all the tools we need to protect our waterways. Feel free to review the documents to see if you can improve the quality of your storm water runoff by controlling erosion and eliminating illicit discharges.
10 Simple Steps
1. Don't dump anything down storm drains.
2. Use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly.
3. Put litter in its place.
4. Pick up after your pet.
5. Sweep driveways (do not spray wash).
6. Collect yard waste & keep it out of storm drains.
7. Use a car wash (they recycle).
8. Recycle used motor oil.
9. Check your car for leaks.
10. Have your septic tank inspected every 3-5 years.