Honolulu City Council Policy Resolutions

(Link to original Word Processing Version)

94-296

                                                CD1

ESTABLISHING A NEW OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES FOR STORM WATER MANAGEMENT FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU.

    WHEREAS, the Federal Clean Water Act as amended by the Water Quality Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-4) requires National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for storm water discharges from municipal separate storm sewer (drainage) systems(s) serving a population of 100,000 or more on a system- or jurisdiction-wide basis; and

    WHEREAS, the storm water regulations in 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 122, Subpart B, require the Department of Public Works to have an NPDES permit for the municipal storm sewer systems under their jurisdiction; and

    WHEREAS, the Department of Public Works was issued NPDES Permit No. HI0021229 on August 8, 1994, effective September 7, 1994, which authorizes the discharge of storm water runoff and certain nonstorm water discharges from the municipal separate storm sewer systems into State waters; and

    WHEREAS, the storm water management program incorporated in the permit requires the Department of Public Works:

    .@.1     to prohibit the discharges of nonstorm water, except NPDES permitted discharges through the municipal storm sewer systems into waters of the State;

    .@.2     to minimize the discharge of any pollutants from domestic, industrial, or other controllable sources to receiving waters to the maximum extent practicable (MEP);

    .@.3     to minimize soil erosion and the discharge of sediment and construction material from construction activities, new developments and redevelopments by inspection to ensure compliance with erosion control plans, and pursue enforcement action against violators;

    .@.4     to maintain City-owned facilities by street sweeping, road inspection and repairs, litter pickup, and storm drain and detention/retention pond inspection and cleaning;

    .@.5     to inspect and monitor industrial facilities and other private drain connections to the municipal separate storm sewer systems;

    .@.6     to investigate and take enforcement action against illegal discharges and illegal dumping of pollutants into the municipal separate storm sewer systems;

    .@.7     to conduct an educational program to inform the public about the origins and causes of urban runoff pollution, its effect on receiving waters and to gain public acceptance, endorsement of, and participation to reduce the amount of pollutants entering the municipal storm sewer systems; and

    .@.8     to conduct a storm water quality monitoring program over the life of the permit; now therefore,

    BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City and County of Honolulu, State of Hawaii, that the objective of the storm water management policy is to achieve a net decrease in the volume and rate of storm water runoff, to increase infiltration to groundwater supplies, and to improve the quality of storm water entering surface and groundwater supplies and receiving waters; and

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Council of the City and County of Honolulu, State of Hawaii, that it is the policy of the Council:

    .@.1     to implement programs, regulations, and new technology that enhance the natural ability of the environment to reduce the rate of storm water runoff, and to improve the quality of storm water conveyed to receiving watercourses, streams, embayments, estuaries, and nearshore waters of the State;

    .@.2     to support the Department of Public Works in the implementation of the storm water management program by providing adequate level of funding and manpower;

    .@.3     to achieve no overall increase in the peak flow level and volume of storm water runoff into receiving waters designated water quality limited segments by theDepartment of Health, State of Hawaii, by requiring that:

        .@.3.a     major developments achieve, where feasible, a net decrease in storm water runoff; and

        .@.3.b     other new developments achieve, where feasible, no increase in storm water runoff;

    .@.4     to encourage all levels of government, agencies, and developers to employ methods of retaining or detaining storm water for gradual release into the ground, as the preferred strategy for the management of storm water;

    .@.5     to require where feasible permanent best management practices (BMPs) and engineering controls at developments to reduce the discharge of pollutants in runoff into the municipal storm sewer systems;

    .@.6     to utilize where feasible any open space including parking lots, landscaped areas, mini and community parks, and golf courses, private and public, to detain or infiltrate storm water flows to reduce their volume and runoff rates;

    .@.7     to require each City department or agency to take appropriate action by inspection to control the discharge of pollutants into receiving waters from any grading operation, and buildings and construction activities under their jurisdiction; and

    .@.8     to encourage neighborhood boards to actively support and promote the public educational program including the dissemination of any information to the community on ways of reducing the amount of pollutants entering the municipal storm water systems and receiving waters; and

    .@.9     to require each City department and agency to adopt/implement practices to reduce the need for pesticide and fertilizer applications, or select and purchase the least polluting pesticides and fertilizers, and proper pesticide and fertilizer applications.

    BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Clerk be, and he is hereby directed, to forward copies of the resolution to the Director and Chief Engineer of the Department of Public Works and to all departments, agencies, and neighborhood boards of the City and County of Honolulu, the State Department of Health Clean Water Branch, the State Department of Transportation Highways Division, the General Contractors Association, the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, the American Society of Civil Engineers, Honolulu Chapter, the Building Industry of Hawaii and the Land Use Research Foundation.

                         INTRODUCED BY:

                         John DeSoto (BR)

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                                Councilmembers

DATE OF INTRODUCTION:

October 20, 1994
Honolulu, Hawaii

(OCS/111694/ct)

Policy Resolutions