Purpose & Goal

Carroll Clean Water Partnership (CCWP) is a program intended to assist local businesses with identifying and addressing potential pollutants and good housekeeping measures, and, as a result, gain community recognition as a “Partner” for contribution toward achieving clean water in Carroll County’s local streams and watersheds.

The goal of the program is to help identify practical, cost-effective ways to protect our local waterways through stormwater pollution prevention.

The CCWP program will be a cooperative effort of the Carroll County Department of Land & Resource Management (DLRM) staff, Carroll County Environmental Advisory Council (EAC), and the Carroll County Water Resource Coordination Council (WRCC). These sponsors hope to foster a business-friendly environment by assisting Partners with voluntary activities related to stormwater pollution prevention.

Program implementation and partnership not only foster positive professional relationships between County staff and local businesses but furthers efforts to promote a business-friendly environment with their customers. It also directly addresses Carroll County’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase I Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit requirements for public outreach to the general public and to the regulated community. The NPDES MS4 permit is a federal stormwater remediation permit authorized by the Clean Water Act. In Maryland, administration of this permit was delegated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). The CCWP program is a voluntary initiative on the part of business owners to implement practical good housekeeping measures that eliminate or minimize the potential for illicit discharges and avoid compliance issues.

While the program is geared toward businesses to start, we anticipate an expansion in the future to include volunteer community members, institutional landowners, and multi-family residential associations.

How to Become a Partner

1. Request information. Program staff will be available to meet on site to provide a program overview.
2. Perform self-assessment/inspection. To create your own Stormwater Pollution Prevention Action Plan, please fill out the self-inspection checklist. The action items included in the assessment will become your “action plan.”

   Program staff will be available at any point during the self-assessment process for a courtesy visit to assist with the checklist to inventory good housekeeping measures and recommend best management practices appropriate for the site or to review the checklist and action plan at your facility when it is complete. Please contact the Carroll County NPDES Compliance Specialist at (410) 386-2220 or gedwards@carrollcountymd.gov.

3. Review Stormwater Pollution Prevention Self-Inspection Checklist and Action Plan with Program staff. Program staff will review your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Self-Inspection Checklist and Action Plan for completeness.
4. Sign Stormwater Pollution Prevention Self-Inspection Checklist and Action Plan. The business owner/manager will sign this form to demonstrate the self-inspection checklist and action plan have been completed.
5. Commit to implement Stormwater Pollution Prevention Action Plan. Participation in the program is voluntary. However, signing (below) indicates the Partner’s commitment to implement the Action Plan and maintain good housekeeping practices following the signature date.
6. Submit Action Plan to Program Staff for Review and Approval. Staff will review and approve your action plan. Approval will be good for 3 years.
7. Verify with Program staff when the action steps have been implemented. A Partner interested in continuing in the program may request renewal upon demonstration of a good-faith effort to implement practices in its approved action plan.
   
   Completing Your Stormwater Pollution Prevention Self-Inspection Checklist and Action Plan

Partner Benefits

• As Partners, businesses will receive a framed Certificate of Partnership and a CCW Partner window decal.
• The program fosters recognition by the County and the community at large as a leader in environmental stewardship through a Partner’s good-faith efforts to prevent stormwater pollution.
• Partners are eligible for nomination for the EAC’s Environmental Awareness Awards, but at a minimum, will be named at the biennial Awards ceremony.
• Additional recognition and publicity will be gained through listing on the CCWP website, public outreach efforts, and materials indicating sponsorships and partnerships associated with the program for name recognition and public awareness for the business.
• Participation will help Partners get a head start in understanding local, State, and federal stormwater regulations and how to incorporate typical, low-cost, simple business practices that will help the business to avoid compliance issues.
• Partners may be able to network with other Partners who may share similar issues and exchange ideas on good housekeeping practices and best management practices.