b'STORMWATERCATALOGSTORMWATER INTRODUCTIONIn 1972, the Clean Water Act (CWA) established the NPDES permit program to address water pollution by regulating waste water treatment plants and industries that discharge pollutants to waters of the United States. By 1987, EPA began to develop a storm water permitting program. This program was implemented in two phases (Phase I: 1990; Phase II: 1999), establishing permit requirements for municipal, industrial, and construction site storm water runoff; designed to prevent stormwater runoff from washing harmful pollutants into local surface waters. When it rains, some rainwater soaks into the ground, and some flows over the ground and into creeks, streams or rivers. The water that runs off into the river is called runoff, or stormwater runoff.When buildings, parking lots, and other hard surfaces are added to the landscape, the ground cannot absorb the water. Water from rain instead flows over streets, parking lots and roofs and into a water body or storm drain. This is of a concern for two main reasons: increased volume and timing of the runoff; and pollutants like trash, chemicals, oils, and dirt/sediment being carried to our rivers, streams, lakes, and coastal waters. To address the increase in volume and timing of stormwater runoff, methods to detain and control the runoff are used. These include stormwater detention, rainwater harvesting and drainage systems.To protect our water resources from pollution, communities, construction companies, industries, and others, use stormwater controls, known as best management practices (BMPs) that filter out pollutants and/or prevent pollution by controlling it at its source. The benefits of effective stormwater runoff management include: protection of wetlands and aquatic ecosystems; improved quality of receiving waterbodies; conservation of water resources, and protection of public health.ParkUSA has been in the business of manufacturing stormwater infrastructure and water quality devices since the beginning, providing sustainable solutions for todays stormwater issues.SW Revision v5.04 INFO@PARKUSA.COM|888-611-7275|WWW.PARKUSA.COM'