Developing a SWPPP under the Texas Commision on Environmental Quality? Confused about stormwater compliance? We’ve compiled the answers to the most common questions below. 

• Who must apply for coverage under this permit?
• How do I apply for permit coverage?
• Can I get an exemption from the permit?
• What is the start and end date of my permit?
• What is my monitoring and reporting period?
• When is my annual report due?
• Do I need a special certification to write a SWPPP?
• Is training required? And how often is training required?
• Do I have to sample and if so, what must I sample for?
• When do I collect samples / How often?
• How often do I need to perform inspections?
• What do I inspect?
• What happens if my sample results are above benchmark or limits? 
• Contact Us

Who must apply for coverage under this permit?

An industrial facility that falls under one or more of the following sectors of industry:

• Timber Products
• Paper and Allied Products
• Chemical and Allied Products
• Asphalt Paving and Roofing Materials and Lubricants
• Glass, Clay, Cement, Concrete, and Gypsum Products
• Primary Metals
• Metal Mining (Ore Mining and Dressing)
• Coal Mines and Coal Mining Related Facilities
• Oil and Gas Extraction
• Mineral Mining and Dressing
• Hazardous-Waste-Storage Facilities
• Landfills and Land-Application Sites
• Automobile Salvage Yards
• Scrap-Recycling Facilities
• Steam Electric-Generating Facilities
• Land Transportation and Warehousing
• Water Transportation
• Ship and Boat Building or Repairing Yards
• Air Transportation
• Treatment Works
• Food and Kindred Products
• Textile Mills, Apparel, and Other Fabric Product Manufacturing; Leather and Leather Products
• Furniture and Fixtures
• Printing and Publishing
• Rubber, Miscellaneous Plastic Products, and Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries
• Leather Tanning and Finishing
• Fabricated Metal Products
• Transportation Equipment; Industrial or Commercial Machinery
• Electronic, Electrical, Photographic, and Optical Goods
• Miscellaneous Industrial Activities

How do I apply for permit coverage?

To obtain industrial stormwater permit coverage, you must review your facility’s compliance history, read the Multi-Sector Permit (MSGP), prepare a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for your facility, and submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) to the TCEQ website.

Can I get an exemption from the permit?

Facilities seeking to obtain an exclusion from permit requirements based on a condition of no exposure would notify the TCEQ through submission of a No Exposure Certification (NEC) form to the Executive Director.

What is the start and end date of my permit?

Start date of the permit is August 14, 2016 and end date August 2021.

What is my monitoring and reporting period?

Monitoring period begins January 1^st thru December 31^st.

When is my annual report due?

March 31^st of the year.

Do I need a special certification to write a SWPPP?

No, all reports requested by permits shall be signed by an individual or a position have responsibility for the overall operation of the regulated facility.

Is training required? And how often is training required?

Employee Training is required once a year and must include the following, at a minimum:

1. Proper material management and handling practices for specific chemicals, fluids, and other materials used or commonly encountered at the facility;
2. Spill prevention methods;
3. The location of materials and equipment necessary for spill clean-up;
4. Spill clean-up techniques;
5. Proper spill reporting procedures; and
6. Familarization with good housekeeping measures, BMPs, and goals of the SWPPP.

Do I have to sample and if so, what must I sample for?

Yes, the following pollutants of concern to sample for are:

• Bacteria – E.coli
• Dissolved Oxygen - BOD5, COD
• Nutrients – Phosphorous (for discharges to fresh water) or Nitrogen (for discharges to marine waters)
• Hazardous Metals: Specific metal(s) listed in 303d list or the TMDL

When do I collect samples / How often?

• Sampling, inspections, and examinations are required on a quarterly basis must be conducted during the following periods:

First (1st) quarter - January 1 thru March 31;

Second (2nd) quarter - April 1 thru June 30;

Third (3rd) quarter - July 1 thru September 30; and

Fourth (4th) quarter - October 1 thru December 31. 

Permittees shall begin required sampling, inspections, and examinations on a quarterly basis in the first full quarter following submission of a NOI.

• Sampling, inspections, and examinations that are required on a semiannual basis must be conducted during the following periods: First (1st) period - January 1 thru June 30; and Second (2nd) period - July 1 thru December 31. Permittees shall begin required sampling, inspections, and examinations on a semiannual basis in the first full period following submission of a NOI.
• Monitoring, inspections, and examinations that are required on an annual basis must be conducted before December 31st of each calendar year, beginning with the calendar year that includes the first full quarter following submittal of an NOI.

How often do I need to perform inspections?

Inspection are required on a quarterly basis. Please see answer above.

What do I inspect? 

(1) all areas identified in the Inventory of Exposed Materials section of the SWPPP;

(2) all structural controls, including the maintenance and effectiveness;

(3) all non-structural controls (e.g., good housekeeping measures, scheduling, etc.);

(4) all areas where spills and leaks have occurred in the past three (3) years;

(5) all reasonably accessible areas immediately downstream of each outfall that is authorized under this general permit;

(6) industrial materials, residue, or trash that may have or could come into contact with stormwater;

(7) leaks or spills from industrial equipment, drums, tanks, and other containers;

(8) offsite tracking of industrial or waste materials, or sediment where vehicles enter or exit the site;

(9) tracking or blowing of raw, final, or waste materials from areas of no exposure to exposed areas;

(10) a review of the results of the past year’s visual and analytical monitoring when planning and conducting inspections that are required by this general permit; and

(11) any control measures needing replacement, maintenance, or repair. 

What happens if my sample results are above benchmark or limits?

You must investigate the cause for each exceedance and must document the results of this investigation in the SWPPP within 90 days following the sampling event. The investigation must identify the following: (a) any additional potential sources of pollution, such as spills that might have occurred; (b) necessary revisions to the Good Housekeeping Measures section of the SWPPP; (c) additional BMPs, including a schedule to install or implement the BMPs; and (d) other parts of the SWPPP for which revisions are appropriate.

Contact Us

Have other questions regarding the Texas Stormwater Industrial General Permit that could not be answered by this article? Contact us at (800) 553-7420 or support@mapistry.com.