KERAMIDA began by conducting an audit of the facility’s stormwater compliance program, which included reviewing documents such as its Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) and site map, as well as reviewing its sampling locations and Best Management Practices (BMPs). This audit found that one of the facility’s sampling points was located in its employee parking lot. Employee parking lots often have high concentrations of total suspended solids, zinc, and copper that are brought in through the tires of cars and forklifts. The facility’s sampling results revealed a high concentration of zinc, despite efforts to implement effective BMPs. The analytical results suggested that this sampling location was not representative of the facility’s impact to stormwater. KERAMIDA immediately recommended relocating this sampling point from the employee parking lot to a roof downspout that would yield sampling results more representative of the facility’s industrial impact to stormwater and compliance efforts. Analytical results from the new, more representative sampling location were dramatically improved; the facility was able to return to Baseline for all required parameters.

KERAMIDA’s Key Actions:

• Worked with the facility’s senior staff members to ensure BMPs were integrated into existing staff schedules to reduce impacts on die casting productions.

• Audited existing stormwater program and recommended the relocation of its employee parking lot sampling location to a roof downspout to reduce unrepresentative sampling results.

• Maintained consistent communication with facility management throughout the rainy season and conducted site visits at the request of the facility.

• Developed the facility’s Level 1 ERA Report that communicated its efforts to return to Baseline for required parameters.

• Collaborated with the facility to prepare monthly non-stormwater discharge observation forms and monthly BMP inspection forms that would allow facility staff to maintain and monitor its compliance program.