Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority enlists our expert guidance to comply with stormwater permit

Client challenge

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (SCVTA) needed to comply with an industrial stormwater permit at four bus and light rail maintenance facilities. The authority relied on our team’s stormwater experience in Northern California and our ability to understand SCVTA’s organizational structure so that we could effectively collaborate on practical ways to ensure compliance.

Our approach

Haley & Aldrich conducted historical reviews and comprehensive site inspections. We also reviewed sampling results to evaluate Exceedance Response Action (ERA) status. Then, we identified additional best management practices (BMPs) to mitigate future exceedances, updated Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs) and site maps, and prepared Level 1 and Level 2 ERA reports.

We saved the agency time and money by creating ERA report templates and a BMP summary table for use at multiple SCVTA facilities. We also improved the readability of existing SWPPPs (provided by a previous consultant) and corrected errors on the site maps.

Our team prepared tools to improve best practice implementation and monitoring, reducing the time spent managing the sampling program and its staff. We also prepared tools, such as a sampling event flowchart, to help simplify the sampling program. We provided in-person training on stormwater sampling techniques to SCVTA and its field staff that resulted in a reduction of concentrations of total suspended solids, aluminum, copper, iron, and zinc below the numeric action levels, and three of four returned to Baseline status for all parameters. This achievement reduced annual reporting costs by up to $15,000 per facility.

Finally, we brought the SCVTA into compliance with the Utility Vaults General Permit by identifying monitoring deficiencies in its light rail network. Haley & Aldrich also made field data collection easier by developing a streamlined form to complete during each dewatering event.

Value delivered

• Saved the SCVTA time and money by creating ERA report templates and a BMP summary table for use at multiple SCVTA facilities
• Made existing SWPPPs more readable and accurate
• Created tools and trainings that reduced total suspended solids and metals concentrations below the numeric action levels and returned facilities to baseline status
• Brought SCVTA into compliance with the Utility Vaults General Permit by identifying monitoring deficiencies in its light rail network