Page 137 - California Stormwater Workshop Handouts

Industrial General Permit Fact Sheet

have shown a trend of higher pH values very close to 9.0 pH units. Rather than
require all industries as a whole to monitor with the more costly 40 Code of
Federal Regulations part 136 methods, this General Permit establishes a
triggering mechanism for these more advanced pH test methods. The Regional
Water Boards retain their authority to require more accurate test methods. Once
a Discharger triggers the requirement to use the more accurate testing methods
in 40 Code of Federal Regulations part 136, the Discharger may not revert back
to screening for pH for the duration of coverage under this General Permit.

In the early 1990s, U.S. EPA, through its group application program, evaluated
nationwide monitoring data and developed the listed parameters and SIC
associations shown in Table 1 of this General Permit. The 2008 MSGP requires
that Dischargers analyze storm water effluent for the listed parameters under
certain conditions. In addition to the parameters in Table 1 of this General
Permit, Dischargers are required to select additional facility-specific analytical
parameters to be monitored, based upon the types of materials that are both
exposed to and mobilized by contact with storm water. Dischargers must, at a
minimum, understand how to identify industrial materials that are handled
outdoors and which of those materials can easily dissolve or be otherwise
transported via storm water.

The Regional Water Boards have the authority to revise the monitoring
requirements for an individual facility or group of facilities based on site-specific
factors including geographic location, industry type, and potential to pollute. For
example, the Los Angeles Regional Water Board required all dismantlers (SIC
Code 5015) within their jurisdiction to monitor for copper and zinc instead of
aluminum and iron during the term of the previous permit. SMARTS will be
programmed to incorporate any monitoring revisions required by the Regional
Water Boards. Dischargers will receive email notification of the monitoring
requirement revision and their SMARTS analytical reporting input screen will
display the corresponding revisions. Dischargers may add, but not otherwise
modify, the sampling parameters on their SMARTS input screen.

Dischargers are also required to identify pollutants that may cause or contribute
to an existing exceedance of any applicable water quality standards for the
receiving water. This General Permit requires Dischargers to control its
discharge as necessary to meet the receiving water limitations, and to select
additional monitoring parameters that are representative of industrial materials
handled at the facility (regardless of the degree of storm water contact or relative
mobility) that may be related to pollutants causing a water body to be impaired.

4. Methods and Exceptions

a. Storm Water Discharge Locations

Dischargers are required to visually observe and collect samples of industrial
storm water discharges from each drainage area at all discharge locations.
These samples must be representative of the storm water discharge leaving
each drainage area. This is a change from the previous permit which allowed a

Order 2014-0057-DWQ 53