Water Quality and Supply Issues Monthly Update-Dec 2021
As we approach this time of celebration and gathering, the CICWQ Team extends our well wishes and hopes that you and your family have a safe and joyous holiday season.
In this December edition of the CICWQ News and Information Summary we highlight important water quality regulatory and policy actions and developments from last month and look ahead to 2022.
Our regulatory priority is the renewal process for the Construction General Permit for stormwater, which affects nearly all CICWQ member companies and workforce.
As we look to the new year, we anticipate action on the renewal of the Santa Ana Watershed Regional Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit covering parts of Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.
And we continue to pay close attention to the drought conditions in California and ever changing weather patterns and doing everything we can—representing the construction industry—to assure a reliable water supply for the future.
Metropolitan Water District in Los Angeles just received its first ever zero allocation from the California State Water Project, so water supply reliability is at the forefront of construction industry issues for 2022.
4 ISSUES WORTH YOUR TIME
1.) Metropolitan General Manager Issues Statement on 0 Percent State Water Project Allocation
Metropolitan Water District issued a statement on the historic zero water allocation from the State Water Project. “The conditions on the State Water Project are unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. While we certainly hope they improve, we must be prepared for the reality that the state project may not have any water to allocate in 2022..."
2.) Renewal of the Santa Ana Watershed Regional Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit
The Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board is revising and updating three MS4 permits issued between 2009 and 2012 into one Regional Permit. This permit impacts CICWQ members working in private and public land development and building, including urban redevelopment, and contains engineering requirements to manage stormwater runoff. CICWQ expects the release of the DRAFT Regional Permit in December 2021 or early 2022 for public comment, with Regional Board workshops and an adoption hearing, likely in late 2022.
3.) New Training Requirements Likely in Renewal of Construction General Permit (CGP) for Stormwater
An element of the proposed revised CGP is new construction site worker training necessary to become a Qualified Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan Practitioner (abbreviated QSP) “Delegate”. Delegate training will be done by certified QSPs and will entail completing training modules covering soil erosion and sediment control methods, how to use and install best management practices (BMPs), inspecting BMPs, sampling stormwater runoff, and adapting to site specific conditions. Look to CICWQ for training program offerings and where to obtain the necessary training and continuing education opportunities.
4.) The Rebuild SoCal Zone: Construction Industry at Risk: Big Concerns, Big Hit to Bottom Line
Listen to a podcast produced by Rebuild SoCal Partnership featuring Dave Mercier, P.E., from Michael Baker International (MBI) and Mark Grey, Ph.D., from the Construction Industry Coalition on Water Quality.
Recently, Dave and Mark sat down with Marci Stanage from Rebuild SoCal Partnership and covered key impact areas of the proposed Construction General Permit on the construction industry.
