Neal Forrest
New member
Hello everybody. My name is Neal and I am a new member to this BB, the PWNA, and the pressure washing industry. What a time to enter this arena, but what a time to tap into the the vast resources of the members here and abroad so I can be on the right track for a successful business.
Houston and the PWNA proposed BMP's got me to thinking about what is going on here in the Twin Cities metro area. It took a while, but I finally got a sort-of answer today. It included statute quoting, suggestions (but these were useless as you will see) and - drum role please - an actual BMP written by those folks that actually, sort-of, enforce them. Since I have very little experience, I will just post the responses from the MPCA - MN Pollution Control Agency
I have copied and pasted and email from Tom Jablonski of the MPCA to another contractor in the area who contacted him last fall. It says:
Powerwashing in MN
The ultimate goal managing your power-washing operations should be to prevent the discharge of pollutants into the waters of the State. Pasted below is the excerpt from the Minnesota Administrative Rule (https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/rules/?id=7001.1030) that prohibits the discharge of pollutants to the waters of the state without a permit below. As long as you aren't discharging pollutants, then you would not need a permit.
Possible ways to prevent the discharge would be to first of all minimize the amount of water used in your cleaning operations. For cleaning pavement surfaces, use of a broom or other dry removal practices should be used first. Spot cleanup of spills should also be done first. Work with customers to make sure they implement management practices that keep their pavement clean in the first place. Then if you still need to use powerwashing, look into collecting the washwater and running it through a cleaning system so the water could be reused. If you can do this then look into collecting it and then bringing it to a wastewater treatment system that would accept the water. If all of those options are evaluated and implemented and you still need to discharge water then the attached document provides some examples of management practices that should be implemented.
Then he goes on to include the statute he eluded to in his email. It is listed as follows:
7001.1030 PERMIT REQUIREMENT AND EXEMPTIONS.
Subpart 1. Permit required. Except as provided in subpart 2, no person may
discharge a pollutant from a point source into the waters of the state without obtaining a
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit from the agency.
Subp. 2. Exemptions. The following persons are not required to obtain a National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit:
A. persons who discharge sewage or effluent from a vessel;
B. persons discharging dredge or fill materials regulated by the federal
government under section 404 of the Clean Water Act, United States Code, title 33,
section 1344;
C. persons discharging pollutants to a publicly owned treatment works;
D. persons discharging pollutants who are in compliance with the instructions
of an on-scene coordinator in accordance with Code of Federal Regulations, title 40,
part 1510;
E. persons introducing pollutants from nonpoint source agricultural and
silvicultural sources into privately owned treatment works;
F. persons causing return flows from irrigated agriculture;
G. persons discharging pollutants into privately owned treatment works;
H. persons injecting water, gas, or other material into a well to facilitate the
production of oil or gas; and
I. persons disposing of water in a well if this water is associated with oil and
gas production.
Statutory Authority: MS s 115.03; 116.07
History: 8 SR 2277; 13 SR 2453; 19 SR 1901
Posted: July 13, 2009
Alright, that is all I have. How's that for a first post! Thank you to all who have kept me learning and entertained for the last two weeks while I just lurked in the shadows. :grin-devilish: More to follow!
Houston and the PWNA proposed BMP's got me to thinking about what is going on here in the Twin Cities metro area. It took a while, but I finally got a sort-of answer today. It included statute quoting, suggestions (but these were useless as you will see) and - drum role please - an actual BMP written by those folks that actually, sort-of, enforce them. Since I have very little experience, I will just post the responses from the MPCA - MN Pollution Control Agency
I have copied and pasted and email from Tom Jablonski of the MPCA to another contractor in the area who contacted him last fall. It says:
Powerwashing in MN
The ultimate goal managing your power-washing operations should be to prevent the discharge of pollutants into the waters of the State. Pasted below is the excerpt from the Minnesota Administrative Rule (https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/rules/?id=7001.1030) that prohibits the discharge of pollutants to the waters of the state without a permit below. As long as you aren't discharging pollutants, then you would not need a permit.
Possible ways to prevent the discharge would be to first of all minimize the amount of water used in your cleaning operations. For cleaning pavement surfaces, use of a broom or other dry removal practices should be used first. Spot cleanup of spills should also be done first. Work with customers to make sure they implement management practices that keep their pavement clean in the first place. Then if you still need to use powerwashing, look into collecting the washwater and running it through a cleaning system so the water could be reused. If you can do this then look into collecting it and then bringing it to a wastewater treatment system that would accept the water. If all of those options are evaluated and implemented and you still need to discharge water then the attached document provides some examples of management practices that should be implemented.
Then he goes on to include the statute he eluded to in his email. It is listed as follows:
7001.1030 PERMIT REQUIREMENT AND EXEMPTIONS.
Subpart 1. Permit required. Except as provided in subpart 2, no person may
discharge a pollutant from a point source into the waters of the state without obtaining a
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit from the agency.
Subp. 2. Exemptions. The following persons are not required to obtain a National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit:
A. persons who discharge sewage or effluent from a vessel;
B. persons discharging dredge or fill materials regulated by the federal
government under section 404 of the Clean Water Act, United States Code, title 33,
section 1344;
C. persons discharging pollutants to a publicly owned treatment works;
D. persons discharging pollutants who are in compliance with the instructions
of an on-scene coordinator in accordance with Code of Federal Regulations, title 40,
part 1510;
E. persons introducing pollutants from nonpoint source agricultural and
silvicultural sources into privately owned treatment works;
F. persons causing return flows from irrigated agriculture;
G. persons discharging pollutants into privately owned treatment works;
H. persons injecting water, gas, or other material into a well to facilitate the
production of oil or gas; and
I. persons disposing of water in a well if this water is associated with oil and
gas production.
Statutory Authority: MS s 115.03; 116.07
History: 8 SR 2277; 13 SR 2453; 19 SR 1901
Posted: July 13, 2009
Alright, that is all I have. How's that for a first post! Thank you to all who have kept me learning and entertained for the last two weeks while I just lurked in the shadows. :grin-devilish: More to follow!
