SWPPP Development
Grapewell’s team of specialists has written dozens of SWPPPs for Maryland businesses. We have prepared plans for multi-acre recycling operations, tiny junkyards, nationwide trucking facilities, and everything in-between. Over the years, we have honed in on our house style - simple, accurate, and useful. We strive for our SWPPPs to serve both our clients' needs and MDE's requirements.
If you need a SWPPP developed as part of a permit application or need updates made to your existing plan, please contact us today; if you would like to know more about SWPPPs, their function, and what makes Grapewell's plans unique, keep reading.
What Exactly is a SWPPP and Does My Business Need One?
When applying for any stormwater permit in Maryland, you’ll be required to write and submit a stormwater pollution prevention plan, or SWPPP.
Your SWPPP is a comprehensive guide to your facility and its operations - from a stormwater perspective. So, while it will include standard information like your address, phone number, and a description of your operations (scrap metal recycling, truck storage and maintenance, etc.), you’ll also need to provide details on stormwater-specific concerns such as any erosion issues on your property, your spill prevention and cleanup procedures, and any structural control measures which help manage and treat runoff at your facility (ditches, berms, ponds, etc.).
After you've prepared your SWPPP and received coverage under one of Maryland’s stormwater permits, you'll still need to maintain and update your plan. Your SWPPP is the first thing an MDE or EPA official will review when they come to your facility for an inspection. They will note whether you've updated the plan since you applied for the permit, and any significant changes you've made to your property in the intervening time that are not reflected in the SWPPP will potentially result in a violation.
Long-story short: having a clear, well-written, and up-to-date SWPPP is extremely important not just when applying for a permit but also for maintaining compliance going forward.
What Can I Expect from a Grapewell SWPPP?
Every SWPPP we write is custom because every business we work with is different. The type of facility, its size, location, operational quirks, and other unique factors all have a huge impact on the specifics of the plan.
While the details and focuses of our SWPPPs are always different, they all have many important components in common. Every Grapewell SWPPP includes:
- Basic information about your facility and key employees.
- Information about your local receiving water and all pollutants affecting it.
- Breakdowns of all industrial activities at your facility and any associated potential pollutant risks.
- Comprehensive summaries of your stormwater management controls and practices including the location, function, and efficacy of any ponds, berms, or filtration systems.
- A summary of all practices and structures at your facility which minimize pollutant exposure to stormwater.
- Write-ups on employee housekeeping practices to maintain a clean, safe facility.
- A detailed, easy-to-read, and useful site map with fuel tanks, outfall locations, and other important landmarks highlighted.
- Useful guidance on conducting permit-required internal stormwater inspections, preventing, and responding to spills and monitoring stormwater runoff quality at your facility. link to Permit Compliance page
- Stormwater sampling information including procedure guidance, sampling schedules, parameters to be analyzed, and detailed descriptions of all sampling locations.
- Information on equipment and vehicle maintenance and fueling procedures.
- Information regarding your facility’s assigned Chesapeake Bay Restoration Requirements, if applicable, and any plans and calculations related to those Requirements.
Getting Started
If you need to gain coverage under one of Maryland’s stormwater permits or need your SWPPP updated and overhauled to reflect changes at your facility, please contact us today for a free consultation.