Storm Water Quality

Storm water runoff can collect pollutants from urbanized areas, which can add to or create problems in lakes and streams. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment regulates storm water runoff. Littleton was issued a permit for discharges from its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) on March 10, 2003. The City of Littleton must implement programs under Six Minimum Control Measures, to control pollutants in storm water to the maximum extent practical. The following is a description of activities in 2005. Bookmark this page for "What's New" announcements throughout the year.

1. Public Education and Outreach
2. Public Participation/Involvement
3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
4. Construction Site Storm Water Runoff Control
5. Post-Construction Storm Water Management
6. Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations

1. Public Education and Outreach

The objectives of this minimum control measure is to increase awareness and educate the public about urban runoff. General knowledge of both water quality problems and potential solutions can allow for greater compliance with laws and regulations. Following are elements of this measure.

2005 Program Activities

• The Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (UDFCD) distributes notices on an annual basis to residents in designated floodplains. Contact UDFCD at 303-455-6277, or click on the link on Littleton’s home page.
• Articles are regularly published in the Littleton Report on topics of general interest related to storm drainage. The Littleton Report is published 6 times a year and distributed at no charge to all Littleton residents.
• The Bemis Public Library maintains a collection of reference materials on flood information.
• Littleton participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. Owners or tenants of buildings that have submitted numerous flood insurance claims are classified as Repetitive Loss Properties and are subject to special notification on an annual basis. There is one of these properties in Littleton.
• Numerous printed brochures on storm water are available at the counters of public buildings or are included in utility bill statements.
• Several demonstration projects of facilities that improve the quality of storm water runoff have been constructed at city buildings. An extended detention pond has been built at Fire Station 12, 6529 S. Broadway. Porous landscape detention is being installed at the Douglas H. Buck Community Recreation Center, 2004 W. Powers Ave.
• A booth offering information on storm water is planned for the Western Welcome Week grand parade, on August 20, 2005.
• The City of Littleton, Business and Industry Affairs Department, maintains a database of all businesses within the city limit. The database is used to select target audiences to receive information on impacts to storm water quality of various business operations.
• Informational product related to storm water education are available at no charge to the public.
• Identification signs on various streams have been installed at road crossings throughout the community.

2. Public Participation/Involvement

The requirements of this measure of the permit is to provide opportunities for the city to get feedback from the public and allow individuals or groups with specific interests to participate.

2005 Program Activities

• The City of Littleton participates in various organizations involved in protecting water quality. These include the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), Chatfield Watershed Authority, and Arapahoe County Stormwater Permittees for Local Awareness of Stream Health (SPLASH). Links to web sites of some of these organizations are provided.
• Meetings are held to obtain public comments whenever master planning or construction is anticipated on major drainageways.
• Volunteer projects are scheduled to provide opportunities for citizens to participate in events related to water quality. Currently scheduled local projects are:
• April 9, 2005 - The Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) will be sponsoring a tree and shrub planting day for youths on Massey Draw, above where it drains into Chatfield Reservoir. Contact VOC at 303-715-1212, or visit www.voc.org to register.
• September 24, 2005 – VOC and Lockheed Martin will sponsor another planting project on the south end of Chatfield Reservoir.
• October 18, 2005 - Littleton will be a sponsor for World Water Monitoring Day on October 18, 2005. Anyone interested in helping collect water samples on the South Platte River are encouraged to contact Public Services Department at 303-795-3863.

3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination

Water that enters the storm drainage system is not processed in a treatment plant. Illicit discharges are sources of water that are not runoff from precipitation events, and can be a source of pollutants. The goal of this minimum measure is to identify and control non storm water discharges to the waters of the community.

2005 Program Activities

• All storm drainage facilities such as storm sewers, inlets and channels have been mapped by the Engineering and Utilities Division. These maps are a valuable tool for management and maintenance.
• Littleton has a sanitary sewer preventative maintenance program, which helps to minimize overflows of wastewater that may enter the storm drainage system.
• In cooperation with the City of Englewood, Littleton sponsors an annual household hazardous material roundup where resident can legally dispose of chemicals, batteries and numerous other substances that normally are not accepted by solid waste services. This service helps prevent illegal dumping. The 2005 Roundup will be held on September 10 and 17, 2005 at the Englewood Service Center, 2800 South Platte River Drive.
• Littleton’s annual Summer Clean Up Program provides residents an opportunity to dispose of large items, which may not normally accepted by solid waste services. The program will run from early June to mid-August, 2005. Starting in late May, one can call 303-795-3744 to schedule a pickup.
• Christmas trees can be dropped off for recycling from late December through mid-January at Cornerstone Park, South Windermere Street at West Belleview Avenue.
• Littleton residents can drop off leaves from their trees for recycling in early November. Watch this site for dates and location.
• The laboratory of the Littleton Englewood Wastewater Treatment Plant can collect water samples of suspected questionable discharges from storm drains. To report suspicious activity, call the Storm Water Hotline at 303-734-8299.
• Littleton is preparing an ordinance to regulate non storm water discharges. Watch this site for status of the ordinance.
• Engineering and Utilities Division inspectors will be documenting conditions of all locations where storm sewer pipes outlet into streams or lakes, in an effort to locate and eliminate illegal dumping in storm drainage facilities.

4. Construction Site Storm Water Runoff Control

Almost any form of outdoor construction disturbs the existing ground cover or vegetation. This can create soil erosion. The city requires construction site operators to use Best Management Practices (BMP’s) to control sedimentation under this minimum measure.

2005 Program Activities

• All developments sites are required to conform with erosion control requirements as stipulated in the Littleton Storm Drainage Design and Technical Criteria manual.
• Development site plans are reviewed by the Engineering and Utilities Division as part of the building permit approval process.
• Construction sites are inspected by Littleton employees for conformance to approved erosion control plans.
• City Code contains requirements for solid waste controls at all construction sites.
• Construction sites that ultimately disturb one acre or more of ground are required to obtain a permit from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, in addition to Littleton’s requirements. Operators of these larger sites are required to perform semi-monthly inspections and submit written reports of maintenance and remedial activities.

5. Post-Construction Storm Water Management

The objective of this minimum measure is to require development sites to implement permanent measures to protect and enhance runoff from the site, following completion of construction.

2005 Program Activities

• All required post construction BMP on development sites completed since about 1982 have been inventoried by the Engineering and Utilities Division. Staff inspects these facilities on an annual basis and issues correction notices to the owner of any facility in need of maintenance. Any alteration of a required facility must be approved by the city.
• Zoning regulations exist that place additional requirements for water quality and flood control protection on sites located within a regulatory floodplain.
• Citizens are encouraged to contact the Engineering and Utilities Division at 303-795-3865 to report storm drainage problems. All complaints are registered and tracked to insure resolution and acceptable customer service.
• Littleton has a Storm Drainage Ordinance to guarantee legal conformance with the requirements of the MS4 permit.

6. Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations

The city considers the potential impacts to storm water of its operations, equipment and practices. Numerous measures are employed on a daily basis to minimize any negative effects.

2005 Program Activities

• All properties in Littleton pay an annual fee to the city’s Storm Drainage Utility. This provides a reliable source of funding to be used strictly for management of storm drainage programs.
• The Administrative Services Department, Fleet Maintenance Division recycles most automotive fluids used in maintenance of the city’s cars, trucks and equipment. All maintenance is performed indoors and no work or material storage is exposed to storm water runoff.
• The Building Maintenance Division of the Administrative Services Department conducts its operations to minimize impacts on storm water. Work is performed indoors and many used products are recycled.
• All storm sewer facilities are regularly cleaned as part of Littleton’s preventative maintenance program. Tons of trash and debris are removed each year from storm sewer pipes and inlets.
• UDFCD assists the city with maintenance of the South Platte River, tributary streams and drainage channels. Typical work includes mowing, debris removal, erosion repair and silt removal.
• The Grounds Maintenance Division, Public Services Department conducts its practices with the intent to minimize negative impacts on storm water runoff. One example is fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are used in strict accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations and these chemicals are not applied when precipitation is forecast, which might wash these chemicals into the storm sewer.
• Street sweeping is routinely done by the Street Division of the Public Services Department. Hundreds of tons of dirt, sand and trash is swept up and removed each year, before most material has a chance to wash into storm sewers.
• The Public Services Department considers impacts on water quality when performing snow and ice control. Deicing materials are applied to streets and grounds in amounts strictly calibrated to make travel safe, but not applied in excess quantities. Sand and similar solid materials are swept up as soon as practical after snowfalls to try and keep as much material as possible out of storm sewers.
• All city employees whose activities may affect storm water quality receive annual training on methods to minimize any negative impacts.
• The city obtains construction storm water permits from the Colorado Department of Health and Environment for city projects.