What is a SWPPP Permit?
A SWPPP Permit, or SW3P Permit as it is sometimes referred, is a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan. Contrary to popular belief the SWPPP itself is not actually a permit. A SWPPP, or SW3P is a document required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Construction General Permit 150000 to ensure the protection of our state’s waterways and municipal sewer systems.
Simply put, a SWPPP is comprehensive narrative detailing how your construction project will control storm water and chemicals on you job site, and ensure they don’t escape into nearby waterways or sewer systems.
The TCEQ requires a SWPPP for any construction project in the State of Texas with soil disturbing activities on an area equal to or greater than 1 Acre, or if the project is part of a larger common plan. The TCEQ requires site operators generate and implement a SWPPP prior to beginning construction activities.
Failure to comply with these requirements can result in work stoppages or even fines.
A well developed SWPPP should:
- Identify Owners & Operators
- State where the SWPPP and accompanying reports will be stored
- Identify sources of potential pollution to storm water discharges
- Detail the practices and methods employed to prevent pollutants from entering storm water runoff
- Provide valuable refence material to ensure operator compliance
- Identify the individual responsible for performing inspections – including their qualifications
- Include inspection and reporting procedures
- Identify the nearest receiving waters
When is a SWPPP required in Texas?
The question of whether or not you are required to have a SWPPP in Texas is simple, just ask yourself two questions:
- Are you in Texas?
- Is the project disturbing earth in an area equal to or greater than 1 acre?
If you answered “yes” to both of these questions, then your project is required by the TCEQ to have a SWPPP. In my experience, this is commonly misunderstood. Many contractors are under the impression that the requirement for a SWPPP is determined by local authority such as a city or even an HOA.
While it may be true that a local authority can extend the requirement to sites less than an acre, ultimately the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is the regulating body for the CGP 150000 and all projects within Texas state lines fall within their jurisdiction.
Still unsure if your construction project requires a SWPPP? Click the button below to find out how to answer the question, “Do I need a SWPPP?”