Engineer tells Sumner County property owners to inspect, maintain stormwater systems to reduce pollution

Van Holdom, a licensed civil engineer and owner of Evergreen Infrastructure, told attendees at a Cumberland River Compact presentation that private property owners and associations are generally responsible for long-term inspection and maintenance of stormwater infrastructure.

"The burden is definitely on the property owner," Holdom said, describing long-term maintenance agreements that are recorded as deed restrictions and require annual reporting and periodic professional inspections.

Holdom told the audience that nonpoint source pollution — "basically everything that you see" running off roofs, parking lots and golf courses — carries sediment, nutrients and bacteria into lakes and rivers, feeding algae blooms and reducing dissolved oxygen. He said sediment is the largest pollutant in Tennessee waterways and that sediment binds and transports metals, phosphorus, nitrogen, viruses and bacteria into receiving waters.

Holdom reviewed common types of post-construction stormwater controls and their maintenance needs, including dry detention (dry) ponds, wet retention ponds, bioretention…