Factsheet: What TSU is doing.

Polluted stormwater can contaminate our local streams and rivers. TSU Facilities Management and the Office of Environmental Health and Safety coordinate efforts to improve the quality of the stormwater discharged from campus.

Changes to operations on campus...

Some of the more significant changes to operations on campus to improve stormwater discharges to protect water quality include:

• Using minimal amounts of fertilizers and pesticides by landscaping staff and selecting native plant to reduce irrigation and excess run-off.
• Operation of a covered car wash that drains to the sanitary sewer after discharging into an oil-water separator, thereby preventing contaminated water from entering storm drains.
• Installation of markers on all stormwater catch basins to alert people not to pour hazardous materials down drains.

Changes to construction on campus...

With the recent growth on the TSU campus, changes have also been made to improve stormwater discharges associated with construction projects. Some of the significant changes include:

• Reducing erosion associated with construction projects by using Best Management Practices (BMP), such as silt fences, In addition, a number of TSU employees are certified as Construction Erosion and Sediment Control Leads in order to assist contractors with using best management practices.
• Establishing a stormwater pollution prevention plan during the design stage of each new construction project. The plan is implemented throughout the project and is modified as necessary when site conditions change.
• Designing buildings to meet requirements for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDs), including stormwater management if budget allows.

 

Getting assistance More information about TSU’s stormwater management program is available on the EH&S website; or you can call EH&S staff at 615-963-5683. You can also visit the Tennessee Government Stormwater  website and the Environmental Protection Agency website.