Storm Water Management Plan

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued regulations in 1999 to protect storm water quality in small cities and urbanized areas. In Texas, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) was delegated the responsibility for implementing the regulations, commonly called the Phase II Storm Water Program. The City of The Colony is one of several hundred cities, counties, and other public entities that were required to develop a program to protect storm water quality under Phase II regulations.

Purpose of the Phase II Storm Water Program

The purpose of the Phase II storm water program is to improve water quality in streams and lakes by controlling the runoff of pollutants from construction sites and developed property. Pollutants include sediment from soil erosion, nutrients from fertilizers, chemicals from the treatment of lawns, garbage and floatables from parking lots and streets, and the discharge of industrial pollutants.

EPA Regulations

EPA regulations require that best management practices (BMPs) be implemented by August 2012 to address six minimum control measures that will improve storm water quality. The minimum control measures are public education and outreach, public participation and involvement, illicit discharge detection and elimination, construction site runoff control, post-construction runoff control, and pollution prevention and good housekeeping at municipal facilities. Measurable goals must be identified for the BMPs and progress on each must be reported annually to TCEQ.

Phase II Permit

TCEQ finalized the Phase II permit on August 18, 2007. To qualify for the permit, The Colony submitted a Storm Water Management Plan and Notice of Intent in February 2008. This plan includes BMPs that are being implemented by the City to reduce storm water pollution to the "maximum extent practicable," as EPA regulations require. Existing City storm water programs and activities that protect the City's storm water quality were identified and are included in the plan. They were supplemented with new BMPs to further protect storm water quality. On November 21, 2008, TCEQ issued the Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) General Permit (PDF) to the City of The Colony.

The Storm Water Management Plan for The Colony as adopted by City  Council on February 4, 2008 may be viewed on the City’s website at the  link below or at City Hall, 6800 Main Street, The Colony, Texas 75056.