How Does Development Increase Urban Runoff and Water Pollution?
Any type of development can generate pollutants such as trash, oil leaking from cars, fertilizers, pesticides, and more. In addition, replacing areas where plants normally grow with impervious surfaces, such as pavement or buildings, reduces the amount of storm water that can soak into the ground and increases runoff. Increased runoff can cause erosion problems and also carries pollutants into the storm drain system, where they flow untreated into creeks, lakes, and the ocean. How Do I Know Whether My Construction Project is Subject to SUSMP Requirements? A project is subject to SUSMP requirements if it falls in any of the following categories: • Pollutant-generating development project—one acre or more • Residential development of ten or more units • Commercial development greater than 100,000 ft2 • Automotive repair shop • Restaurant • Steep hillside development >5,000 ft2 • Creation of ≥2,500 ft2 of impervious surface with discharge of runoff to an Environmentally Sensitive Area • P
Any type of development can generate pollutants such as trash, oil leaking from cars, fertilizers, pesticides, and more. In addition, replacing areas where plants normally grow with impervious surfaces, such as pavement or buildings, reduces the amount of storm water that can soak into the ground and increases runoff. Increased runoff can cause erosion problems and also carries pollutants into the storm drain system, where they flow untreated into creeks, lakes, and the ocean. How Do I Know Whether My Construction Project is Subject to SUSMP Requirements? A project is subject to SUSMP requirements if it falls in any of the following categories: • Pollutant-generating development project—one acre or more • Residential development of ten or more units • Commercial development greater than 100,000 ft2 • Automotive repair shop • Restaurant • Steep hillside development >5,000 ft2 • Creation of ≥2,500 ft2 of impervious surface with discharge of runoff to an Environmentally Sensitive Area • P
