Back to top

Back to top

Pollution of surface water bodies is a large problem, which affects the nation's communities. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the 1996 National Water Quality Inventory indicated that approximately 40 percent of surveyed U.S. water bodies are impaired and do not meet water quality standards. Polluted storm water runoff is believed to be one the leading sources of this contamination. Common pollutants include: pesticides, fertilizers, oils, sediment, trash, and other debris.

Storm water runoff is largely transported through streets and curbs, open channels, and other conveyances, directly to our community retention/infiltration basins, city parks, washes, and dry riverbeds. This water generally re-enters the water supply without passing through a treatment plant. So while the City of Surprise on average only receives seven to nine inches of rainfall a year, storm water quality is still a serious concern.

The City of Surprise is considered a Phase II community. In order to protect and improve the quality of storm water runoff, the City of Surprise obtained a permit to operate their small municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) by submitting their Storm Water Management Plan to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality in March 2003.

The City of Surprise implements a variety of different programs called Best Management Practices (BMPs) in order to successfully satisfy six minimum control measures established by the EPA. Some of the BMPs selected are:

• Developing Water Conservation and Storm Water materials for outreach events
• Marketing and Public Relations Information
• Storm Water Inspection at Outfalls
• Conducting Construction Site Inspections
• Storm Water Basin Maintenance
• Street Sweeping
• Employee Training

Back to top