What are the 6 MMs for Urban Areas and briefly describe in o

What are the 6 MMs for Urban Areas and briefly describe (in one or two sentences) each MM.

Solution

California Non-Point Source (NPS) Program implementation plan envisages control and effectively manage NPS Pollution. According to EPA, NPS results from land runoff, precipitation, atmospheric deposition, drainage, seepage or hydrologic modification. It comes from many diffused sources.MMs are utilized to control NPS pollution. In NPS Program, MMs stand for Management. MMs are defined in CZARA section 6217(g)(5) as “economically achievable measures for the control of the addition of pollutants from existing and new categories and classes of nonpoint sources of pollution, which reflect the greatest degree of pollutant reduction achievable through the application of the best available nonpoint pollution control practices, technologies, processes, siting criteria, operating methods, or other alternatives.”

6 MMs to address urban sources of nonpoint pollution:

1) Runoff from Developing Areas - Runoff from Developing areas include Major pollutants like oxygen-demanding substances, road salts, heavy metals, petroleum hydrocarbons, pathogenic bacteria, and viruses. These greatly increase the pollutant concentration in water resources of Urban areas.

MMs -

A. Watershed Protection - Developing a grid view to map NPS pollution impact in the watershed.

B. Site Development - Development of locations most likely contributing to NPS

C. New Development –

2) Runoff from Construction Sites - This runoff specially consists of Suspended sediments. Construction is a major source of sediment erosion.

MMs-

A. Construction Site Erosion and Sediment Control – Use of water to settle down construction dust.

B. Construction Site Chemical Control – Procuring and Recycling used chemicals instead of letting it off into the runoff.

3) Runoff from Existing Development - Existing Development comprises of Residential and Industrial centres that were already developed before the growth of Urban region. Nutrient and bacterial sources include garden fertilizers, leaves, grass clippings, pet wastes, and faulty septic tanks form an integral part of this Runoff.

MMs -

A. Existing Development – Mapping these areas and diverting the runoff to holding ponds. Here the pollutants are separated through filtration and bacterial activity.

4) On-site Disposal Systems (OSDSs) – Trying to minimize pollutants in runoff by using OSDSs in diverse areas as far as possible.

A. New OSDSs

B. Operating OSDSs

5) Transportation Development (Roads, Highways, and Bridges) - Petroleum hydrocarbons result mostly from automobile sources.

MMs-

A. Planning, Siting, and Developing Roads and Highways – Diverting runoff to specific sites where it can be filtered of pollutants.

B. Bridges

C. Construction Projects

D. Chemical Control

E. Operation and Maintenance

F. Road, Highway, and Bridge Runoff Systems

6) Education/Outreach – Mass Awareness programmes to better educate people in contributing towards reduced NPS pollutants in urban runoffs.

A. Pollution Prevention/Education