Stormwater Control Measure Inspection & Maintenance Guide

The following StoryMap provides suggestions, best practices, and reference materials to guide the implementation of an SCM I&M program.

This StoryMap was developed by VHB as part of a Stormwater Control Measure (SCM) Inspection and Maintenance (I&M) guidance project funded by a MassDEP MS4 Municipal Assistance Grant awarded to the Charles River Watershed Municipal Stormwater Collaborative (CRWMSC). The purpose of this StoryMap is to provide a centralized resource to guide the implementation of an SCM I&M program for compliance with the 2016 Massachusetts MS4 Permit.

Table of Contents

This figure represents the ongoing cycle of SCM asset management and the steps to maintain compliance with the good housekeeping requirements of the MS4 Permit.


Program Administration

In order to create a successful inspection and maintenance program, municipalities must identify which individuals are responsible for which program elements and budget for the necessary SCM I&M activities.

Section Contents:

I&M Program Roles

The following sections outline key components and consideration for each of these roles.

Potential Consultants/Contractors*

 *Please note, the list below is based on internet research and the companies listed are not a direct recommendation. 

External consultants and contractors specializing in SCM I&M may be incorporated into the SCM inspection and/or maintenance team. Options include:

Several municipalities in the New England region use external contractors for SCM maintenance. Contracts can be developed to fit an individual municipality's needs. Example contract/bid language is provided below:

I&M Program Budget Estimation

There are multiple ways to achieve SCM I&M within a municipality, each with associated costs. Whether you use internal forces, contractors, consultants, or a mix, there are budgeting considerations. VHB has prepared a budget estimator template for this project to help estimate:

  • Hours to complete annual SCM inspections
  • Hours to complete routine maintenance
  • Equipment costs
  • Training costs

This estimator requires the user to input information (e.g., cost of personnel, number and type of SCM) and to evaluate/update cost information based on specific implementation needs.

Resources Related to Program Administration:


Data Management Approach

Municipalities need an SCM inventory that is easy to use, maintain, and integrate with inspection & maintenance forms.

This figure introduces the two key parts of SCM data management: an SCM Inventory and related Inspection and Maintenance Forms.

Section Contents:

SCM Inventory

Keeping track of all SCMs within your community is the first step towards creating an easy-to-use data management system. The inventory itself should be simple and easy to fill in to promote routine data entry. MS4 communities that rely on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to manage existing datasets should continuing using it for SCM tracking. The table below lays out potential fields to include in an SCM inventory.

SCM ID

SCM Type

Installation Date

Location

Responsible Department or Manager

Inspection Frequency

Date of last Inspection

Additional Notes (and Attachments)

Choose a naming convention for your SCMs and stick with it (just numbers: 9999, mix of numbers and type: surface9999)

Dropdown list

--

--

Dropdown list (DPW, Contractor, Combination, etc.)

Dropdown list

--

Depending on where you choose to track SCM data, include fields for additional notes and attachments such as photos and forms

Developed from CMRSC Template:  sop9_forms.docx (live.com) 

I&M Data Tracking

Along with the SCM inventory, a place to store records on I&M activities, agreements, and other forms is also needed. Whether you are using GIS or a non-spatial approach, such as spreadsheet tracking, similar information is needed.

Below are sample database tables from  Recommended O&M Activity and Cost Reporting Parameters for Stormwater Best Management Practices Database , published by the Water Research Foundation:

Click to enlarge

Inspection records should be set up in a similar fashion, with SCM ID, date, inspector, and the inspection information itself. For more information on what should be included in inspection and maintenance forms, refer to the  Guidance & Training  section, which includes sample  inspection  checklists.

ESRI has also developed an ArcGIS solution for Green Infrastructure Inspections linked below. This solution can integrate with existing spatial databases and provides Survey123 forms to conduct inspections. The solution also includes a workflow for  private property owners to conduct inspections  through a community account and tracking dashboards to summarize work to date and follow-up maintenance activities.


Guidance & Training

There are several key resources and trainings available on how to conduct SCM I&M, including frequencies of I&M, what to look for during an inspection, and important routine maintenance activities.

Section Contents:

Overall I&M Guidance

Summarized below are current guidance resources from various sources relevant to inspection and maintenance of SCMs.

The 2024  Boston Green Infrastructure O&M Handbook  (Boston Water and Sewer Commission) was developed with a focus on the importance of long-term SCM I&M and provides the following information:

  • Inspection and maintenance considerations (Chapter 2)
  • Procedures for various SCM components (Chapter 3)
  • Checklists for infiltration and bioretention practices, permeable pavement, and rooftop systems (Chapter 4)

The  Minnesota Stormwater Manual  wiki page includes an extensive resource catalog and recommended practices for operation and maintenance activities organized by SCM type.

Inspection Guidance

Inspection checklists can look different depending on your municipalities I&M program needs and what type of SCMs you have. Consider the following approaches to SCM inspection:

Maintenance Guidance

Maintenance activities ensure that SCMs will continue to perform as designed. Recognizing when maintenance activities are routine short-term tasks versus major long-term projects can help you prioritize them and create a schedule that works for your I&M team.

The figure below provides an overview of different types of maintenance activities organized by frequency.

Along with understanding when different maintenance activities should occur at a large scale, it is important to understand which maintenance activities to perform on various parts of individual SCMs. The figure below provides a summary of routine maintenance activities for a common SCM basin.

For more guidance on maintenance activity frequencies and schedules for various types of SCMs, refer to the resources below:

I&M Trainings

Trainings for SCM I&M can take the form of thorough certification programs or quick videos for I&M crews to brush up on before a field visit. Review the trainings below to see what could work for your I&M team. Note that training is not required but is recommended to ensure that knowledgeable staff are completing I&M work.

The video below is an example of one of the brief training videos from the City of Pawtucket link above:

Pawtucket Pretreatment


SCM Design Considerations

SCMs should be designed and installed with maintenance and accessibility in mind in order to reduce costs and increase efficiency of I&M activities down the line.

References:


Regulatory Framework

Click to enlarge

The Massachusetts MS4 Permit requires regulated communities to have procedures in place to ensure adequate long-term I&M of all SCMs. Within this permit, Minimum Control Measures (MCM) 5 relates to I&M of privately-owned SCMs and MCM 6 relates to I&M of publicly-owned SCMs. The sections below provide links to the permit language as well as resources to build municipal regulations to meet the permit requirements.

Section Contents:

Prepared by VHB with funding provided by a MassDEP MS4 Assistance Grant

This figure represents the ongoing cycle of SCM asset management and the steps to maintain compliance with the good housekeeping requirements of the MS4 Permit.

This figure introduces the two key parts of SCM data management: an SCM Inventory and related Inspection and Maintenance Forms.

Click to enlarge