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Oswego staff reviews federal stormwater permit, urges residents to report runoff problems
Summary
Public Works analyst Alejandro Hardaway reviewed the village's obligations under the federal NPDES program, outlined the six minimum control measures in the village's stormwater management program and gave residents reporting options including a phone number and the MyCivic 311 app.
Alejandro Hardaway, Public Works management analyst for the Village of Oswego, told trustees and the public that the village participates in the federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program and has an Illinois statewide permit covering discharges to the Fox River.
Hardaway said the village's stormwater management program plan (SMPP) documents how the village meets the permit's six minimum control measures, including public education and outreach, public participation, illicit-discharge detection and elimination, construction runoff control, post-construction runoff control and pollution-reduction practices for snow and ice management. He urged residents to report suspected discharges and other stormwater concerns and provided contact information for Public Works.
Why it matters: The NPDES permit requires local stormwater programs to reduce pollutants reaching waters of the United States. Village compliance and public reports help staff locate and address illicit discharges and construction or erosion risks that can harm the Fox River and local drains.
Hardaway summarized examples of the village's work under each measure and described how residents can help. For education and outreach, he said village staff can speak to schools and community groups about avoiding actions such as pouring paint down drains. On illicit discharges he said staff inspect outfalls and can trace unusual flows back to sources. On construction-related sediment controls, he said silt bags and rock armoring are used and staff perform both routine inspections and targeted, case-by-case visits.
Hardaway provided specific resident resources: Public Works can be reached at (630) 554-3242 and the village's MyCivic 311 app (storm drain category) can be used to submit photos and requests. He also said the full stormwater management program plan and related ordinances and tips are available on the village website.
Questions from trustees and members of the public focused on enforcement of erosion controls at construction sites. Hardaway said the village engineer is the enforcement officer for the SMPP and that enforcement staff perform spot checks to confirm contractors have installed required silt fencing and erosion controls "as per requirement and in our ordinances." He added village staff coordinate inspections as part of routine oversight.
Hardaway closed by inviting further questions from trustees and the public.
The remarks occurred during the public meeting portion of the agenda; trustees did not take a formal vote on SMPP updates at this session.
