The City of Manchester is doing its part to manage stormwater. However, everyone living and working in Manchester can help manage stormwater and prevent water pollution, including industrial facilities managers/operators.
Material handling and storage, equipment maintenance and cleaning, and other activities at industrial facilities are often exposed to the weather. Runoff from rainfall or snowmelt that comes in contact with these activities can pick up pollutants such as heavy metals, oily wastes, and other substances, and transport them directly to a nearby river, lake, or surface water Or indirectly via a storm sewer which can result in degraded water quality.
Stormwater discharges from industrial activities require a Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP). The MSGP requires operators of industrial facility sites to develop a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). Common practices to reduce stormwater runoff at industrial facilities include:
- Only rain down the drains - Protect all storm drain systems located on your
industrial site. These systems are not designed to handle illicit discharges like sewage, wash water, spills, or dumped materials. Inspect floor drains, sinks, and process drains ensuring no connection with storm drains.
- Where soils are exposed to water, wind, or ice, erosion can result. Leave as much vegetation on site as possible. Encourage infiltration into the soil to prevent runoff from flowing across exposed areas.
- Dust comes from smokestacks, stockpiles, cleared ground, gravel roads, and open areas. Store all materials, products, and waste inside the facility or ensure they are properly covered. Routinely clean vents and filters. Conduct sweeping on a regular basis. Properly dispose of toxic and hazardous wastes.
- Cover salt piles and place them on an impervious pad. Limit the amount of salt
applied. Sweep and properly dispose of any visible salt deposits once the application surface or storage area has dried.
- Conduct employee training at least once a year.
- Encourage stormwater filtration by installing filtration-based features such as rain gardens, bio-swales, and subsurface filters with liners and under-drains.
- Perform pressure washing or steam cleaning of equipment, outdoor surfaces, and/or vehicles on well-constructed and maintained impervious surfaces with drains piped to the sanitary sewer where possible.
- Sweep paved roads, parking lots, and storage areas with a type of vacuum sweeper that incorporates HEPA filtration or other high-efficiency methods of filtration of the exhaust air from the sweeper to trap the very fine metallic particles found in the road or parking lot dust reduce these discharges to stormwater.
- Conduct frequent sweeping, vacuuming, or other cleanup methods and for
accumulated dry chemicals and materials to cut down on possible stormwater contamination.
- Designate waste disposal areas. Remove trash, debris, and wastes on a regular basis and ensure that dumpsters are covered.
- Maintain spill prevention and response procedures to quickly and efficiently respond to any spills that may occur.
- Perform major maintenance and repair of vehicles indoors or off-site.
Resources for Industrial Facilities
If you have any stormwater-related issues or questions, please contact the EPD Stormwater Department at (603) 621-7735 or email us by clicking on the link below and selecting Stormwater from the subject drop-down:
Email the Stormwater Department