The construction and maintenance of detention facilities can lead to significant reductions in the storm water fee for businesses in Chattanooga. Those that can qualify for storm water rate reductions include commercial, industrial, institutional and multi-family residential establishments. City Ordinance #9942 provides for up to a 75% reduction in the storm water fee provided certain requirements are met. Section 31-256 explains the fee adjustments for facilities that construct storm water detention structures.
A 25% fee reduction is available for businesses that construct and maintain detention facilities according to City specifications. An additional 25% reduction is available for those who construct water quality treatment (e.g. sand filter) as part of their detention. Currently, detention ponds with sand filters or constructed wetlands can qualify for this fee reduction. Finally, the Ordinance provides for an additional 25% reduction provided that the business construct a detention facility more advanced than necessary for its present or anticipated future development and is used to remedy an existing problem either upstream or downstream of the business.
In order to receive these deductions, you must complete and sign a storm water fee appeals form. You must also submit proof that the facility has been constructed and is maintained adequately according to storm water specifications. Once a reduction is given, the storm water facility will be inspected periodically to assure that it is functioning properly. Ponds not adequately maintained may have their fee reduction suspended.
To obtain a storm water fee appeals form, please contact Sue Smith at (423) 757-4741. For more information regarding detention facility requirements, please contact Charlie Harris at 423-757-5109.
Storm Water Management personnel have responded to numerous complaints concerning both illegal and accidental discharges into City storm drainage system. Recent complaints have included broken sewer lines, petroleum-laden runoff from parking lots, yard waste that hindered storm water flow, and grease discharging from local restaurants.
Storm Water Management also works closely with the Chattanooga Fire Department to assure that risks to residents from these accidents are kept at a minimum and that all spilled materials are cleaned up and disposed of properly. Please report illicit discharges and spills to Storm Water Management as soon as possible. For more information, contact Doug Fritz at 423-757-0013. Spills that require emergency response should be reported to the Chattanooga Fire Department by dialing 911.
( Commercial and institutional facilities with more than six (6) parking spaces south of the Tennessee River are required to obtain a Chattanooga Storm Water Discharge Permit before May 1, 1997. Please contact Doug Fritz at 423-757-0013 for more information.
( A new series of pamphlets to help residents and businesses reduce storm water pollution are now available from Storm Water Management. The pamphlets discuss Best Management Practices involved with landscaping, food service industries, auto repair facilities, construction activities, detention pond maintenance and home repair and remodeling. Contact Doug for more information.
Did you know that almost half of all non-point source pollution comes from the erosion of exposed soil? Sediment from erosion results in 47% of all non-point source pollution. Excess sediment in our drainage system and streams results in blocked culverts, reduced storm water carrying capacity and neighborhood flooding. Erosion can also have a negative affect on fish and other aquatic life in our streams. For example, sediment from erosion can suffocate bass eggs, effectively reducing the number of bass in our streams and the river.
Although all land areas will contribute some sediment, some activities contribute huge amounts of sediment from relatively small areas. The Soil Conservation Service (now, Natural Resource Conservation Service) estimates that erosion from construction sites is 10 times greater than erosion from cropland and 2,000 times greater than from forest land.
In order to minimize the negative effects of erosion, Chattanooga requires that a land disturbance permit be obtained from the City before any land disturbance occurs. This permit requires that erosion controls be installed and maintained during construction activities. Exemptions apply to minor land disturbing activities such as home landscaping, gardening, home repairs, and home maintenance work. Additional exemptions include construction of single-family residences, individual service and sewer connections, agricultural practices, construction, installation or maintenance of utilities, surface mining, and construction or repair of railroad facilities. Although exempt from needing a land disturbance permit, these activities must still employ Best Management Practices to prevent erosion from leaving their site. In order to assist people in better utilizing erosion controls, Storm Water Management and the Homebuilders Association of Chattanooga sponsor a 4-hour course entitled "Best Management Practices for the Control of Erosion".
For more information on land disturbance permits or to report erosion problems, please contact Charlie Harris at 423-757-5109. To obtain additional information concerning the "Best Management Practices for the Control of Erosion" class, contact Doug Fritz at 423-757-0013.
Wetlands have long been considered worthless property and a nuisance. Less than half of the estimated 221 million acres of wetlands in the United States remain. A lot of people say good riddance. But is destroying wetlands a good idea? One of the most important functions that wetlands perform is to control flood waters.
During times of heavy rainfall, water often overwhelms streambanks flooding nearby land. In areas with wetlands, these "nuisances" temporarily store the flood water and slowly releases it. This protects nearby homes and businesses from flooding. In areas where the wetlands have been destroyed, this layer of protection no longer exists. Each time a wetland is filled, its watershed loses more flood storage capacity and the risk of flooding becomes greater. Wetlands also perform other important functions. Wetlands remove pollutants before they can enter our streams. They allow water to infiltrate the ground; thereby, decreasing the amount of water we need to purchase to water our lawns. Wetlands also provide habitat for unique plants and animals that you would not find anywhere else.
So the next time you hear that a wetland exists in your neighborhood, don't think of it as a detriment. Instead, think of it as a small part of nature working hard to protect you and provide unique opportunities.
Storm Water Management has produced six new Best Management Practices pamphlets to help residents and businesses reduce storm water pollution. The six pamphlets discuss BMPs for landscaping, food service industries, auto repair facilities, construction activities, detention pond maintenance, and home repair and remodeling. The pamphlets are free and provide excellent alternatives to reduce the amount of pollution entering our streams and the Tennessee River. Contact Doug Fritz at 423-757-0013 for more information.