United States Office of Water EPA-833-F-94-013
Environmental Protection Agency 4203 November 1994
SUMMARIES OF MS4 PERMITS
NPDES MS4 Permit for Baltimore, MD
Date Issued: November 17, 1993
Date Expires: November 17, 1998
Management Program Highlights:
Watershed Studies. The City will complete stream and watershed surveys of 347 watersheds using existing stream survey and
watershed survey worksheets. The City's own surveys will be augmented by information provided by private environmental
groups. The results of surveys will be used to concentrate on restoration management activities in the most critical areas first.
One survey was helpful in detecting 14 sanitary sewer leaks. The surveys also provide useful information on the health of
benthic communities. Baltimore also found that watershed surveys also serve as an effective public education tool.
Brick Cleaning. Baltimore will implement a brick cleaning and waste water program, including procedures for inspection and
enforcement at sites where old paint is removed from brick facades.
Construction Activities. Baltimore will develop and implement "responsible personnel" certification classes for construction
site operators. The city will also require erosion and sediment control plans prior to development for construction activities
greater than 5000 square fee or 100 cubic yards. Pursuant to State law, the city will perform erosion and sediment control
inspections at construction sites once every two weeks. Baltimore currently requires that new construction projects be
reviewed for possible environmental and water quality impacts by the Environmental Services Division (ESD).
Control of Chemicals. The city will implement programs for the control of pesticide, herbicide, and fertilizer use. Such
programs will include storage area inspections, an assessment of monitoring and GIS data, a pesticide task force, and an
assessment of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Techniques.
Pilot Studies. Baltimore will conduct the following pilot study activities: 1) Submit an implementation schedule for pilot storm
water management studies for residential, commercial, and industrial land uses, which should be coordinated with the city's
long-term monitoring program. 2) Conduct a pilot study for assessing the effects of sanitary sewer system leaks on storm water
discharges and provide a schedule for expanding the program system-wide. 3) In a pilot study area, implement illicit connection
detection and pollutant source tracking programs. The city will also propose a schedule for expanding these programs
jurisdiction-wide.
Chesapeake Bay Initiative:
Coordination with Other Jurisdictions. As part of the State's watershed-based approach to controlling pollutant loadings to
the Chesapeake Bay, Baltimore will coordinate its water quality restoration and protection efforts with other jurisdictions.
Standards. The permit requires Baltimore to develop standards for recordkeeping and databases to ensure the Baltimore's GIS
is compatible with other jurisdictions.
"Clean Water... A Better Environment"
Office of Wastewater Management (OWM)
Printed on Recycled Paper
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United States Office of Water EPA-833-F-94-013
Environmental Protection Agency 4203 November 1994
NPDES MS4 Permit for Baltimore, MD
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Monitoring Program Highlights:
In-stream Monitoring. Baltimore will install in-stream ambient monitoring stations downstream of each representative sampling
site.
Outfall Monitoring. Minimum sampling requirements include 1 2 storm events per year, with at least 3 occurring per quarter
(calendar year). In extended dry weather periods, the city will take baseflow samples at least once per month. If no flow is
observed at the outfall during dry weather, the city may take samples only at the in-stream monitoring stations.
Dry Weather Screening. Baltimore will field screen 20 outfalls with known illicit connections biweekly and take monthly diurnal
composites. Another 40 outfalls suspect of having illicit connections will be screened bimonthly with quarterly diurnal
composites and the remaining 300 outfalls will be screened annually with biannual diurnal composites. The results will be used
in conjunction with the GIS to prioritize watersheds for further investigations and elimination of illicit connections.
Geographic Information System:
Databases. Baltimore's GIS includes data on: storm water outfalls, NPDES dischargers, pesticide usage, under and above
ground storage tanks, watershed boundaries, water quality data, and streets and highways.
Application of GIS. The GIS will be used for a variety of purposes, including the comparison of specific activities (e.g.,
pesticide usage) with water quality data, the screening of possible sites for retrofit, the development of watershed management
plans, and many others. The city has already performed mapping of the locations of outfalls, permitted industrial facilities, and
known sanitary sewer overflows and those areas where certain pollutants, e.g., chlorine, copper, detergents, phenols, have
exhibited concentrations or loadings in excess of a certain criterion.
Annual Progress Reports:
Spreadsheets. Baltimore will use a spreadsheet developed by the State for reporting and tracking NPDES data.
Program Assessments. Baltimore will submit estimates of expected pollutant load reductions and new source identification
information (e.g., land use activities, population estimates, NPDES dischargers annually.
For More Information:
Contact the Maryland Department of the Environment, Water Management Administration at (410)631-3543.
"Clean Water... A Better Environment"
Office of Wastewater Management (OWM)
Printed on Recycled Paper
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