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In 1972, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) was established under the authority of the federal Clean Water Act. NPDES requires that certain industries and municipalities obtain permits if their discharges go directly into surface waters such as creeks, rivers, ponds and lakes. The law also requires states to adopt Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) which are determinations of how much pollution a body of water can withstand before it becomes impaired. Learn more about Charlotte-Mecklenburg's TMDL Strategy.
Phase I of NPDES was established in 1990. The law lists which types of private industry, large construction sites, and government-owned facilities must obtain permits to discharge storm water. These permits are issued through the state. Local enforcement is the responsibility of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services' Water Quality programs.
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NPDES is a federally-mandated program that regulates pollutants discharged directly into creeks, rivers and lakes
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Because it has more than 100,000 residents, the City of Charlotte had to obtain a Phase I NPDES permit to manage storm water anywhere in the city. Charlotte's Phase I permit was received in 1993.
Phase II of NPDES applied the same laws to smaller jurisdictions. In 2005, Mecklenburg County and the six Towns were granted a joint NPDES Phase II Permit to manage storm water outside of the Charlotte City limits.
Phase I NPDES Permit (City of Charlotte)
Download the Phase II NPDES Permit for Mecklenburg County and the six Towns.
Download Mecklenburg County's Phase II Storm Water Management Plan.
Download the City of Charlotte's Draft Phase I SW Management Plan.
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The goal of NPDES is reducing pollution in lakes, rivers and creeks
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The Environmental Protection Agency outlined the following Six Minimum Measures that must be followed by the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and the six Towns as part of their NPDES permits:
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Public Education and Outreach
Distributing educational materials and performing outreach to inform citizens about the impacts polluted storm water runoff discharges can have on water quality.
Public participation/Involvement
Providing opportunities for citizens to participate in program development and implementation, including effectively publicizing public hearings and/or encouraging citizen representatives on a storm water management panel.
Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
Developing and implementing a plan to detect and eliminate illicit discharges to the storm sewer system (includes developing a system map and informing the community about hazards associated with illegal discharges and improper disposal of waste).
Construction Site Runoff Control
Developing, implementing, and enforcing an erosion and sediment control program for construction activities that disturb one or more acres of land (controls could include silt fences and temporary storm water detention ponds).
Post-Construction Runoff Control
Developing, implementing, and enforcing a program to address discharges of post-construction storm water runoff from new development and redevelopment areas. Applicable controls could include preventative actions such as protecting sensitive areas (e.g., wetlands) or the use of structural BMPs such as grassed swales or porous pavement.
Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping
Developing and implementing a program with the goal of preventing or reducing pollutant runoff from municipal operations. The program must include municipal staff training on pollution prevention measures and techniques (e.g., regular street sweeping, reduction in the use of pesticides or street salt, or frequent catch-basin cleaning).
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