TY - GEN
T1 - Maintenance of stormwater BMPs
AU - Erickson, Andrew J.
AU - Kang, Joo Hyon
AU - Weiss, Peter T.
AU - Wilson, C. Bruce
AU - Gulliver, John S.
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - Many stormwater management manuals and guidance documents have stated the importance and estimated the necessary frequency of maintenance for stormwater best management practices (stormwater BMPs), but few have been able to document the actual frequency and intensity of maintenance required to maintain a desired level of performance and efficiency. Increased attention to mass balance, numerical goals, total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), and non-degradation requirements has created the need for more emphasis on stormwater BMP operation and maintenance (O&M) in order to meet permitting and reporting requirements. The purpose of this paper is to advance knowledge about routine and non-routine maintenance so as to develop more useful O&M plans. To do so, we reviewed literature throughout the United States for maintenance costs and developed, distributed, and analyzed the results of a detailed municipal public works survey. The specific goals of the survey were to identify and inventory O&M efforts and associated costs for stormwater BMPs. Survey questionnaires were sent to 106 cities, 28 of which responded. The survey related to the following topics: number of stormwater BMPs in the city, frequency of inspections and maintenance, average staff-hours spent per routine inspection or maintenance, complexity of maintenance, most frequent causes of performance deterioration, and cost of non-routine maintenance activities. The results of the survey revealed that most (89) cities perform routine maintenance once per year or less. The most common causes of performance deterioration and the greatest expense were sediment buildup and litter/debris for most stormwater BMPs. The nationwide literature review resulted in predictive equations for O&M cost of stormwater BMPs as a function of total construction cost. A general rule of thumb is provided for estimating the relative importance of O&M in life-cycle costs.
AB - Many stormwater management manuals and guidance documents have stated the importance and estimated the necessary frequency of maintenance for stormwater best management practices (stormwater BMPs), but few have been able to document the actual frequency and intensity of maintenance required to maintain a desired level of performance and efficiency. Increased attention to mass balance, numerical goals, total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), and non-degradation requirements has created the need for more emphasis on stormwater BMP operation and maintenance (O&M) in order to meet permitting and reporting requirements. The purpose of this paper is to advance knowledge about routine and non-routine maintenance so as to develop more useful O&M plans. To do so, we reviewed literature throughout the United States for maintenance costs and developed, distributed, and analyzed the results of a detailed municipal public works survey. The specific goals of the survey were to identify and inventory O&M efforts and associated costs for stormwater BMPs. Survey questionnaires were sent to 106 cities, 28 of which responded. The survey related to the following topics: number of stormwater BMPs in the city, frequency of inspections and maintenance, average staff-hours spent per routine inspection or maintenance, complexity of maintenance, most frequent causes of performance deterioration, and cost of non-routine maintenance activities. The results of the survey revealed that most (89) cities perform routine maintenance once per year or less. The most common causes of performance deterioration and the greatest expense were sediment buildup and litter/debris for most stormwater BMPs. The nationwide literature review resulted in predictive equations for O&M cost of stormwater BMPs as a function of total construction cost. A general rule of thumb is provided for estimating the relative importance of O&M in life-cycle costs.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70350150326&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1061/41036(342)135
DO - 10.1061/41036(342)135
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:70350150326
SN - 9780784410363
T3 - Proceedings of World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2009 - World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2009: Great Rivers
SP - 1364
EP - 1371
BT - Proceedings of World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2009 - World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2009
T2 - World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2009: Great Rivers
Y2 - 17 May 2009 through 21 May 2009
ER -