EHS Inspections: Focus on Stormwater Compliance

March 4th, 2025 by Dakota Software Staff

Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) inspections are essential to ensure compliance and create a strong safety culture. In this recurring series, we’re diving into the most common challenges facing EHS professionals—and providing quick inspection tips to help address them.

Stormwater management – Stormwater runoff results wherever precipitation events occur. Whether a drizzle or a downpour, sleet or melting snow, gravity pulls stormwater along a path of least resistance into waterways small and large, manmade and natural. This runoff can carry with it pollutants that pose environmental and/or health hazards, which is why municipalities and businesses implement stormwater controls, also known as best management practices (BMPs). Certain industries are also required to acquire permits specific to a facility’s stormwater discharges—and maintaining the requirements of these permits can be complex. Regular inspections are key to success.

The What and Why of Stormwater Management

What it is: Stormwater regulations are covered by the Clean Water Act (CWA) and detailed under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program at 40 CFR 122. NPDES stormwater permits primarily regulate discharges from three sources: Municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s), construction activities, and industrial activities.

The requirements of a permit are specific to the operation and may affect businesses in sectors including oil and gas; construction and development (via the C&D Rule Permit); general industry (via the Multi-Sector General Permit); municipal sources; and transportation sources.

Most states are authorized to implement the stormwater permitting program, but the EPA is the permitting authority in a few states and other territories. Be sure to check authorization status for where your facility is located.

Why it matters: Impervious surfaces such as rooftops, parking lots, and paved roads—commonplace sights at all modern facilities—are major contributors to increased rates and volume of stormwater runoff. This water can pick up trash, sediment, pesticides, oil, and any number of chemicals or other pollutants, all of which can cause environmental harm if not properly managed, treated, and/or removed.

Compliance with stormwater management regulations provides numerous benefits, including:

• Protection of wetlands, groundwater, aquatic ecosystems, and all associated wildlife;

• Erosion prevention and flood control;

• Improved water conservation;

• Reduced threats to public health; and

• Mitigated financial and reputational risks to the organization.

Steps for an Effective Stormwater Inspection

Not sure where to start? Stormwater requirements and BMPs vary based on your organization’s activities. Here is some guidance based on some common levels of stormwater management:

General best management

When to Check

• Periodically, or after a large storm event.

What to Ask

• Are storm drains free of trash, debris, or plant material (ex. leaf litter) that could block proper drainage?
• Are there areas where standing water collects and does not drain within a day or two?
• Is there any staining or build up of materials other than water around stormwater drains and ditches?

Construction activities

When to Check

• A construction site always needs to be in compliance with permit requirements, most permits require an inspection after a measurable storm event.

What to Ask

• Are all erosion and sediment controls in place and properly functioning (ex. silt fences trenched in, turbidity booms blocking any release to water)
• Are disturbed areas properly stabilized after construction has temporarily ceased?
• Are there any visible signs of materials other than water washing off the site?

Industrial activities

When to Check

• An industrial facility always needs to be in compliance with permit requirements, most permits require an inspection after a measurable storm event.

What to Ask

• Are all storm drains, ditches, or other places runoff water exits the facility clear of debris?
• Is there any staining or signs of materials other than runoff water leaving the facility via the stormwater system?
• Are all industrial materials properly stored so as to prevent contamination of runoff water?
• Are all BMP systems in place to prevent contamination properly functioning?

This is only a start—inspections should be tailored to the level of detail necessary for the unique needs, and permit requirements of each facility.

EHS Inspection Management Made Easier

EHS inspections rely on proper completion and management of checklists—and it can be a complex undertaking. Depending on the size and nature of their organization, EHS leaders need to ensure timeliness, consistency, and accuracy of inspections across departments and facilities.

That’s why EHS software is essential for inspection management. An integrated software solution has the ability to standardize forms and processes, maintain compliance calendars, push reminders, and keep easily searchable records of results. Perhaps most importantly, software can provide insights into the resulting inspection data via comprehensive analytics dashboards. Instead of simply filing away checklists and forgetting about them, software can illuminate where your EHS programs are succeeding and point out areas where additional training or other corrective actions may be necessary.

Software Solutions with an Eye for Safety

Inspections help EHS leaders maintain the vigilance necessary for safety and environmental compliance—and software solutions provide the power to manage it all effectively. Dakota Inspections allows you to create and share checklists tailor-made to your organization’s needs, plus track progress to guide corrective action.

Dakota can help take the guesswork out of stormwater inspections. Our team of EHS experts have curated dozens of checklist questions specifically aimed at helping you better manage stormwater at your facilities. This content, along with hundreds of other EHS-related checklist questions, is available for you to utilize from day one.

Start your free trial today.