There are unique challenges to administering illicit discharge detection and elimination (IDDE) programs in the Coastal Plain, including submerged outfalls and drainage systems with two-way flow from tidal and groundwater influences. HRPDC staff partnered with a team of consultants to produce first-of-its-kind stormwater training resources designed for coastal conditions.
The first video, Identifying Illicit Discharges in the Coastal Plain, is geared towards municipal staff from departments, such as Parks and Recreation, Utilities, Fire, and Police, who may witness and report discharges. The video addresses what a suspected illicit discharge might look like. For example, if an employee sees suds and bubbles in a ditch, he or she should report that to environmental staff. It could indicate that a laundry facility upstream was inadvertently connected to the stormwater system.
The second video, Tracking and Eliminating Illicit Discharges in the Coastal Plain, is targeted to environmental staff who will conduct investigations to determine the source of a suspected illicit discharge and take steps to eliminate it. The video covers storm drain mapping, how to account for tidal influences, and field testing parameters.
These training resources are designed to enhance the capacity of the Hampton Roads’ localities with municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permits to recognize, screen for, track, and eliminate illicit discharges that contribute pollutant loads to local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay.
The Center for Watershed Protection, Hirschman Water & Environment, LLC, Lori A. Lilly Environmental Solutions, and HRPDC staff developed these resources with funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. They are available on the HRPDC and Center for Watershed Protection websites at no cost.
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