Environmental Stewardship

Storm Water Industrial Program

Storm water discharges are generated by runoff from land and impervious areas such as paved streets, parking lots and building rooftops during rainfall and snow events. Storm water flows across exposed surfaces where it can pick up various pollutants that could adversely affect water quality. Storm water discharges have been identified as significant sources of water pollution in numerous nationwide studies on water quality. Unlike many sanitary sewer collection systems that flow to wastewater treatment plants, storm water runoff often discharges untreated into our nation’s creeks, rivers and other receiving waters.

Regulatory Background

To address this problem, Congress enacted the Clean Water Act Amendments of 1987, which required the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to develop a regulatory program for storm water discharges associated with industrial activity. The USEPA issued the original National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP) on September 29, 1995. The NPDES MSGP replaced the original NPDES Baseline Permit, which was developed in 1992 and required various regulated industries to implement a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWP3) and obtain permit coverage in order to discharge “storm water associated with industrial activity,” defined as:

Storm water runoff that exits any conveyance that is used for collecting and conveying storm water that is directly related to manufacturing, processing, material storage, and waste material disposal areas (and similar areas where storm water can contact industrial pollutants related to the industrial activity) at an industrial facility described by one or more of Sectors A through AD.

Click here for additional information on the federal NPDES program.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), formerly the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, was delegated authority from the USEPA to administer the NPDES storm water program on September 14, 1998; therefore, after September 29, 2000, when all NPDES permits expired, all industries covered under the NPDES program were required to apply for permit coverage through the TCEQ. On August 20, 2001, the TCEQ signed and issued the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) Multi-Sector General permit. Currently, DFW Airport and regulated Airport tenants must obtain authorization to discharge “storm water associated with industrial activity” under the TPDES MSGP.

Click here for additional information on the TCEQ TPDES storm water program.

DFW Airport and Storm Water Compliance

Major Sources of Storm Water Pollution at DFW Airport