Water Quality and Supply Issues Monthly Update-FEB 2023
Well, the never-ending rainstorms finally stopped over most of California this past month, but water supply reliability and water quality protection issues never take a day off.
As we move into 2023, the State Water Board and a group of public and private stormwater stakeholders—known as the Construction General Permit (CGP) Training Team--are developing a new, updated training program for complying with the revised CGP for stormwater. The revised CGP goes into full effect on September 1, 2023. CICWQ is a part of the CGP Training Team stakeholder group, and representatives from CICWQ are playing an integral role in training program curriculum development.
Also, at the State level, we want our readership to be aware of the State Water Board’s progress in developing a municipal, post-construction stormwater management compliance concept known as Water Quality Credit Trading. Using the State’s STORMS Program, municipal public works and private land development and housing groups are examining how water quality credit trading programs can be used to offset on-site, stormwater control installation requirements while at the same time creating better water quality outcomes using regional runoff collection and natural treatment systems.
Finally, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on February 13 to expand statewide stormwater runoff capture capacity by increasing groundwater storage capacity. The order also continues ongoing conservation measures and allows the State Water Board to reevaluate requirements for reservoir releases and diversion limitations to maximize water supplies north and south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
WATER ISSUES WORTH YOUR TIME IN FEBUARY
1) Construction General Permit for Stormwater -- Renewal Training for QSDs and QSPs – What’s Required and When?
The revised CGP goes into effect this year, on September 1. For existing Qualified SWPPP Developers (QSDs) and Qualified SWPPP Practitioners (QSPs), CGP refresher training is required to maintain existing credentials that are necessary to perform work on CGP approved projects. The CGP Training Team is planning on finalizing the training in May of this year and rolling out training opportunities through the Sacramento State University Office of Water Programs later this summer ahead of the effective date.
Do you manage construction site stormwater, or work with people in or outside your organization who develop and implement Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans? In that case, you’ll want to check our CICWQ website and events page regularly.
If you are an existing QSD or QSP or intend to become certified at some point in the future, start preparing now by reading and familiarizing yourself with the entire permit, attachments, and Fact Sheet, as a number of changes have been made compared to the existing permit.
2) Water Quality Credit Trading – State Water Board STORMS Program
Water quality credit trading is a market-based approach that stormwater dischargers may wish to pursue as an effective means to attain water quality improvements. Water quality credit trading is an approach to control pollutants from multiple sources that collectively impact water quality conditions, primarily as part of municipal separate storm sewer system permits (MS4). CICWQ has been working on developing credit trading programs for the public and private sectors since 2015, primarily performing case studies in southern California, and helping to assemble an extensive hydrologic and engineering data set on the feasibility and cost of program delivery. Significant elements of the CICWQ work were discussed during the recent State Water Resources Control Board STORMS Seminar Series - Building Blocks for Offsite Stormwater Credit Programs.
STORMS' mission is to lead the evolution of Stormwater management in California by advancing the perspective that stormwater is a valuable resource, supporting policies for collaborative watershed-level stormwater management and pollution prevention, removing obstacles to funding, developing resources, and integrating regulatory and non-regulatory interests.
3) Governor Newsom Signs Executive Order to Increase Stormwater Capture
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on February 13 to expand statewide stormwater runoff capture capacity by increasing groundwater storage capacity. And, Governor Newsom's order continues ongoing conservation measures, and allows the State Water Board to reevaluate requirements for reservoir releases and diversion limitations to maximize water supplies north and south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
Leveraging the more than $8.6 billion committed by Governor Newsom and the Legislature in the last two budget cycles to build water resilience, the state is taking aggressive action to prepare for the impacts of climate-driven extremes in weather on the state’s water supplies. In the 2023-24 state budget, Governor Newsom is proposing an additional $202 million for flood protection and $125 million for drought related actions.
