Stormwater Management
The Stormwater Department’s mission is to…
Ensure water quality for future generations, keep Georgetown beautiful through environmental awareness, and provide timely responses with pride and dedication.
Thank you for sharing your feedback on watershed protection
Sept. 20, 2023 – The City heard from 74 people through our watershed protection survey. The survey, which was open Aug. 21 to Sept. 15, 2023, sought feedback from the community regarding general knowledge of the natural waterway systems and the programs the City of Georgetown provides to protect those systems. Staff are working through the responses, and the results will be used to develop or improve education materials and programs residents can use to help protect water quality.
Our waterways, such as Lake Georgetown and the San Gabriel River, aren’t just great recreation spots. They also serve as homes to hundreds of species and provide drinking water from, through, and to Georgetown and other communities in the area.
Introduction
The City of Georgetown has developed a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) as required for coverage under the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program (TPDES) General Permit No. TXR040000. The SWMP describes the minimum control measures and Best Management Practices (BMPs) that will be implemented by the City of Georgetown to achieve the regulatory standard of reducing pollutants in the City’s stormwater to the “maximum extent practicable.” The City’s existing programs and activities designed to protect the environment and water quality will be enhanced and supplemented with new BMP activities. The BMPs were selected based on general assessment of BMP effectiveness, applicability to the City of Georgetown and costs associated with implementation. The BMPs, measurable goals and implementation schedule in the SWMP were developed by Engineering and Development Services Department with input from multiple City departments.
Read the adopted Stormwater Management Plan.
City of Georgetown Stormwater Management Plan 2019-2024
Regulatory Background
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act was passed in 1972. After the law was amended in 1977, it became commonly known as the Clean Water Act. The Act established the structure for federal regulation of pollutant discharges into the waters of the United States, authorized the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement pollution control programs, extended the requirement to establish standards for surface water contaminants, and made it unlawful to discharge unpermitted point source pollutants into navigable waters. The Act also established funding for construction of sewage treatment plants and promoted planning to address non-point source pollution. In order to reduce stormwater pollution, amendments were made to the Clean Water Act in 1987, requiring stormwater discharges to be permitted in two phases.
City of Georgetown Background
The City of Georgetown is located in Williamson County in Central Texas. The 2010 census placed Georgetown in an urbanized area that includes Austin. With a population of approximately 47,000, Georgetown is categorized as a Level 3 Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4). The City was not previously classified as an urbanized area, and therefore the City is required to obtain coverage under Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) General Permit No.TXR040000 for the first time.
Hydrologically, the City is located in the San Gabriel River watershed of the Brazos River basin. Ninety-eight percent of the City is over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone. Development in areas of the City lying over the Recharge Zone is subject to requirements of the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone (EARZ) rules.
Development of the Storm Water Management Plan (SWMP)
Following notification by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in December 2013, the City began the development of the SWMP with the assistance of relevant City staff and HDR. The City’s SWMP was developed through numerous public meetings, outreach to elected city officials, peer jurisdictions and technical stormwater management experts and is in accordance with the requirements of the TPDES General Permit TXR040000 administered under the TCEQ.
The SWMP addresses the five minimum control measures (MCM’s) that are required under the EPA Stormwater Phase II Final Rule for small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) and includes BMPs that will reduce pollutants discharging from the City’s MS4. The City has not chosen to develop and include the optional seventh minimum control measure in the SWMP to obtain permit coverage for municipal construction activities.
City of Georgetown Approved MS4 Permit (NOV2014)
Organization of the SWMP
The City of Georgetown’s SWMP is organized around the following five major minimum control measures and the selected best management practices:
- MCM #1 – Public Education, Outreach and Involvement
- MCM #2 – Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
- MCM #3 – Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control
- MCM #4 – Post-Construction Stormwater Management in New
- MCM# 5 – Pollution-Prevention_Good-Housekeeping-for-Municipal-Operations
Each of the minimum control measure sections describes regulatory permit requirements and selected best management practices with measurable goal(s), implementation schedule, target audience and the responsible party. The City’s SWMP will be implemented over a five-year permit period which coincides with the City’s fiscal year. The five-year permit term begins January 24, 2019 and runs through September 30, 2023. The Stormwater Management Plan has been submitted to the state for approval. When the Stormwater Managment Plan is approved, it will be posted below.
The City is required to submit an annual report to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The reporting period corresponds with the City’s fiscal calendar, beginning Oct 1st and ending Sep. 30th. The report is due to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality 90 days following the end of the reporting period. You can read the City’s Annual Reports. See below:
Stormwater Management Plan 2014-2018
Stormwater Management Plan 2019-2024
The City has the exhibits with each annual report on file. If you wish to see the exhibits with the annual report, please contact MS4Operator@georgetown.org to schedule an appointment with the Stormwater Management Coordinator. If you have additional questions or would like further information on the City’s Stormwater Management Plan, annual report, or stormwater regulations with the state, please contact MS4Operator@georgetown.org.
