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Policy Area

ESH-Environment Safety & Health

Procedure Number

ESH100.2.ENV.10

Procedure Title

Manage Surface and Storm Water Discharges

Procedure Manager

COOPER, TERRY W.

Status

Active

Subject Matter Expert

  • Charles M. Roma (Chip)
  • Joseph Martin Mauser (Joe)
  • Robert C. Holland (CA)

 

Applicability, Exceptions, and Consequences

This corporate procedure applies to all Members of the Workforce who participate in activities on Sandia-controlled premises at SNL/NM and SNL/CA involving surface and storm water discharges.

Exceptions to, or deviations from, this procedure must be approved through the Executive Policy Sponsor or Policy Area Manager, if delegated. Click here to view Contacts for Corporate Policy System Policies, Processes, and Procedures. See CG100.1.7, Request an Exception to a Policy, Process, or Procedure, for directions on how to obtain an exception to this procedure.

Granting or permitting exceptions or violations of policy, process, or procedure without authority, regardless of position or title, may be cause for disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Violating a policy, process, or procedure may be cause for disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: A printed copy of this document may not be the document currently in effect. The official version is located on the Sandia National Laboratories Sandia Restricted Network (SRN).

Procedure Overview

This procedure describes requirements for discharging and reporting surface water and storm water.

Procedure Requirements

Surface Water Discharges

Activity Responsible Individual Required Action
Discharge Surface Water Members of the Workforce
  • Obtain approval to discharge to the surface from the Environmental Programs and Assurance Department prior to any such discharge.
  • Include the following in the request to discharge:
    • Volume frequency.
    • Location.
    • pH.
    • Chemical composition.
    • A description of the process associated with the discharge.
Discharge Surface Water Members of the Workforce at SNL/CA
  • Do not discharge to the surface or to the storm water system at SNL/CA. For more information, call the Water Quality contact.

Storm Water Discharges

Activity Responsible Individual Required Action
Discharge Storm Water Members of the Workforce at SNL/NM

Obtain written approval from the Environmental Programs and Assurance Department before discharging storm water that has been collected in secondary containment to the storm drain system.

Notes: 

  • The preferred method of dealing with storm water in secondary containment is to allow it to evaporate because draining secondary containment structures entails the risk of releasing contaminated water to the environment.
  • Members of the Workforce may discharge water from secondary containment for oil storage structures if it meets the conditions of ESH100.2.ENV.4, Manage Oil and Fuel Storage.
Discharge Storm Water Members of the Workforce at SNL/CA Do not discharge to the surface or to the storm water system at SNL/CA. For more information, call the Water Quality contact.

Unplanned or Unallowed Discharges

Activity Responsible Individual Required Action
Report Unplanned or Unallowed Discharges Members of the Workforce
  • No matter how small and no matter what the discharged substance is, immediately report all unplanned discharges the surface or to the storm water system according to requirements in ESH100.4.RPT.4, Report Environmental Releases.
  • For information about handling unplanned events, see ESH100.3.1, Prepare for and Manage Emergencies.

Building Discharge Practices

Activity Responsible Individual Required Action
Maintain Proper Building Discharge Practices Members of the Workforce Involved in Building Design, Modification or Maintenance
  • Ensure that the storm water drainage systems in new buildings are designed to comply with current plumbing codes (which comply with the Clean Water Act).
  • When connecting to external underground drainage pipes, ensure that only storm drains are tied into the storm water drainage system. Never connect floor drains to the storm water drainage system.
  • When removing water from utility manholes, ensure that modifications to existing building drains are connected to the proper drainage system and comply with current plumbing codes. Only storm water and air conditioning condensate water are allowed to be plumbed to the storm water drainage system.
  • Do not allow cooling tower water and evaporative cooling blowdown water to be discharged to the storm water drainage system. Note: These cooling waters may be discharged to the surface if both of the following criteria are met:
    • These waters have not been treated with any type of chemicals.
    • Written approval is obtained from the Environmental Programs and Assurance Department.
Maintain Proper Building Discharge Practices Members of the Workforce at SNL/NM
  • Ensure that projects that will disturb an area of soil that is equal to or greater than 1 acre, including staging areas, have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for discharging storm water from construction activities.
  • Ensure that when removing water from utility manholes, this water is discharged to the surface or sanitary sewer after receiving written approval from Environmental Programs and Assurance Department.
  • Prior to any contact with the EPA, notify the Environmental Programs and Assurance Department of the need for a permit.
Maintain Proper Building Discharge Practices Members of the Workforce at SNL/CA
  • Ensure that all construction projects implement storm water best management practices. Consult the Environmental Monitoring contact for more information about best management practices.
  • When removing water from utility manholes, ensure that this water is discharged to the sanitary sewer.

Implementing Tools

Websites

  • SNL/NM Environmental Programs website.
  • SNL/CA Environmental Programs website.

Required Records and Retention Schedule

Managers must retain copies of all approvals for discharge in accordance with the Sandia Records Retention and Disposition Schedule. The applicable Sandia record series number is in parentheses. 

  • Water Quality Records (EN-120-000-000).

 

Additional Drivers

  • 40 CFR 122, EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Regulations.
  • California State Water Resources Control Board, General Industrial Activities Storm Water NPDES Permit, Water Quality No. 97-03.
  • New Mexico Administrative Code (NMAC), Title 20 Environmental Protection, Chapter 6, “Water Quality.”

Related Processes and Procedures

Processes

Procedures

 

Change Summary

Date Summary
01/18/2012

Administrative

Modified

  • Changed subject matter expert from Adrian Jones to Joe Mauser. (Contacts)
  • Replaced SAPLE links for subject matter experts with direct links to e-mail for improved usability.
08/22/2011

Administrative

Modified

Updated links to "water quality contact" and "environmental monitoring contact" in the Requirements & Instruction section.
01/10/2011

Administrative

Modified

Listed specific SNL/NM and SNL/CA environmental program websites.  (Forms, Links & Tools)
12/20/2010

Administrative

Modified

  • Changed title and link from "Environmental Programs and Assurance Department" website to "Environmental Programs" website.  (Forms, Links & Tools)
  • Updated SAPLE link to subject matter expert for system consistency.
  • Updated all dictionary terms to contain term identification numbers for system consistency.
7/09/2010

Administrative

Modified

  • Updated hyperlinks to SMEs.