KentuckyGrowth Readinessfor Water Quality

Does your water quality matter?

Acknowledgements

Tennessee Valley Authority

University of Kentucky Extension

Kentucky Environmental Education Council

Kentucky Association of Counties

Kentucky League of Cities 

Kentucky Division of Water

University of Louisville

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Kentucky Transportation Center

Kentucky Waterways Alliance

 KDOW and TVA adapted work by the Tennessee NEMO program, the University of Connecticut NEMO program and the Center for Watershed Protection.

This work was funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under §319(h) of the Clean Water Act through the Kentucky Division of Water to University of Louisville

(Grant # C9994861-02).

New water quality requirements and consequences

What are the impact of federal and state water quality regulations

on local communities?

The labyrinth of laws

• Clean Water Act– 305(b) – Stream

assessments– 303(d) – Impaired

streams needing TMDL

• KPDES Phase II

• Safe Drinking Water Act

• Groundwater• Floodplain regulations

Clean Water Act – KPDES Phase II

• We’re now covered

• MS4 requirements

• Permitting requirements

What is an MS4?

• Municipal separate storm sewer system

• Anything used to collect or convey storm water

Minimum MS4 permitting requirements

• Public education and outreach• Public involvement/participation• Illicit connection discharge detection and

elimination• Construction site erosion control• Storm water management in new developments• Pollution prevention/good housekeeping

Clean Water Act – 303(d)

States are required to:• Identify streams not in compliance with

standards – 303(d) list• Set total maximum daily load requirements• Limit development or activities that

contribute to load

What is the TMDL?

• Total Maximum Daily Load• Maximum amount of pollution that a waterbody can

receive and meet water quality standards• Maximum amount includes

– pollution from point and non-point sources– plus a margin of safety

• Considers seasonal variation in flows and loading• Limits new development that adds to load without

reduction from other sources

How long are restrictions in force?

• Survey every five years or less

• Permitting restrictions in place until next survey

• Burden is on community to show earlier compliance

Clean Water Act – 305(b)

• Report every two years

• National Water Quality Inventory report

• Snap shot of quality of nation’s waters

• Generally consistent with 303(d) list

Streams not in compliance

Stream Condition2003 305(b) Data

Prepared by Kentucky Division of Water, October 2003

Not Assessed

Threatened FairPoor

Good

Insert map of streams not in compliance for your county!

Safe Drinking Water Act

• Delineate areas providing water to public systems

• Identify contaminants • Inventory of potential

contaminant sources• Make results public

Groundwater regulations

• Septic fields• Underground storage tanks • Deep injection wells• Landfills• Above ground storage of petroleum products

and hazardous materials• Wellhead and Groundwater Protection Plans

National Flood Insurance Program floodplain regulations

• Community participation voluntary• Local regulations must meet minimum

federal standards• Federal flood insurance and disaster relief

not available in communities which do not participate

• Federal funds not available for floodplain projects

Land use and water quality: the choices are ours