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Stormwater Management
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About Stormwater Management
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates stormwater runoff through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). The EPA authorized the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to implement the NPDES Stormwater Permitting Program. The TCEQ is responsible for issuing permits and performing compliance and enforcement activities as the NPDES permitting authority in Texas.
The TCEQ developed a stormwater program to significantly reduce the pollutants discharged from cities and urban areas. The City of Richland Hills is categorized in Phase II of the program as a municipality with less than 100,000 citizens.
The program is currently underway and is designed to reduce the discharge of pollutants to the maximum extent practicable, protect the water quality, effectively prohibit illicit discharges to the system and satisfy the appropriate water quality requirements of the Clean Water Act.
Stormwater Management also oversees the implementation of and adherence to best Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans and compliance of the City's Stormwater Management Policies.
How Stormwater Pollution Affects the Environment
Stormwater pollution may adversely affect the environment.
- Harmful materials including petroleum products, pesticides, detergents and other chemicals pollute stream, creek, river and lake water. This pollution can hurt aquatic ecosystems by killing organisms including fish, shellfish and vegetation.
- Streams and creeks feed into rivers, lakes and the ocean. We all drink water, so we are all affected when our water is polluted. When water treatment costs rise, the price of drinking water goes up. If you like to fish, swim or boat, you may have heard or been affected by advisories warning you not to swim, fish or boat in a certain area because of unhealthy water or too much algae.
- When natural materials such as yard trimmings break down, oxygen is drawn from the water. In a natural setting the amount of this debris is limited to the leaves of those plants and trees bordering creeks. In an urban setting, leaves and dirt on paved areas throughout the entire city are washed into creeks. A buildup of natural debris can ruin the natural balance of the creeks and harm fish.
- Pesticides and oils that leak onto roads and driveways, as well as other pollutants, are scoured from all the paved surfaces throughout the City and washed directly into creeks and, ultimately, our drinking water.
What Can You Do?
Stormwater pollution can be controlled if everyone plays a part in preventing these substances from entering the storm drain inlets in the streets where you live and work.
You can help prevent storm water pollution by:
- Picking up after your pets
- Avoid blowing leaves and grass clippings onto sidewalks and streets
- Applying fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides when rain is not expected
- Picking up litter
- Disposing of hazardous chemicals properly
Learn more about how you can help prevent stormwater pollution.
For more information, visit the Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) page.
Fort Worth Environmental Collection Center
The City of Richland Hills encourages residents to dispose of household chemicals and other household hazardous waste in a safe, responsible manner.
- Richland Hills residents can take household hazardous waste to the Environmental Collection Center (ECC), located at 6400 Bridge Street, Fort Worth, TX
- The ECC is open Thursday and Friday from 11 am to 7 pm and Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm
- You will need to show your driver’s license or other valid ID to show you are a Richland Hills resident
- The cost to the City for disposal of hazardous waste at the ECC is $50 per load
- If you only have a few items, please combine these with a friend's or neighbor's to make the best use of your tax dollars
Please limit use of this service to one time per year per household.
Latex paint and stains can be dried or solidified and then can be put in the trash. Mixing in cat litter, sawdust or a paint hardener (available at local hardware stores) will speed this process. Latex products are not harmful to the environment.
More information about what is and is not accepted at the ECC is available on the City of Fort Worth's website.
For more information about disposal of household hazardous waste, contact the ECC at 817-392-1234 or Code Compliance at 817-616-3774.
Stormwater Management for Contractors
Information regarding construction stormwater management is available on the EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) website.