Potential sources of bacteria and actions to address
Potential sources of bacteria and actions to address.
Link to this table.
| General Category | Source | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Municipal Sanitary Infrastructure | Combined Sewer Overflows | Replace infrastructure, if possible |
| Sanitary Sewer Bypasses/Overflows | Line sanitary sewer pipes | |
| Inflow and Infiltration | Minimize and eliminate through repairing damaged sewers | |
| Illicit discharges from unsewered communities | Detect and eliminate illicit discharges | |
| Human Sanitary Sources | Leaky/failing septics | Update and enforce SSTS ordinances |
| Educate homeowners on septic system maintenance and opportunities for replacement | ||
| Implement higher standards for setbacks for installing septics near waterbodies | ||
| Porta-potties | Ensure construction site temporary toiles have appropriate pollution prevention BMPs | |
| Domestic pets | Dogs, cats, dog parks, walking trails, residential yard and sidewalk runoff (spring runoff after winter accumulation) | Pet waste disposal stations along trails, in dog parks, etc. |
| Pass and enforce pet waste ordinances and educate pet owners about them | ||
| Add infiltration BMPs downstream of parks/residential areas and upstream of stormwater pipes (i.e., somewhere between the park/residential area and the stormwater outfall so as to intercept and infiltrate some or all of the flow from these areas) | ||
| Reduce transport from parks, residential, and other areas by the use of buffers and other disconnection of flow pathways (e.g. impervious surface, disconnection, downspout disconnection) | ||
| Urban wildlife | Rodents (raccoons, squirrels, etc.), deer, etc., birds (geese, ducks, swallows, etc.), areas where wildlife congregate such as fields, parks, and golf courses | Wildlife feeding bans and control of nuisance populations, including ducks and geese and other wildlife |
| Remove community facilities such as vending machines for feeding ducks and geese | ||
| Add buffers in riparian areas near waterbodies to deter waterfowl congregation | ||
| Consider wildlife barriers if wildlife (e.g. raccoons) are found to be living in storm sewers | ||
| When possible, use infiltration BMPs instead of detention ponds in residential developments and other areas where wildlife may congregate | ||
| Other Urban Sources (non-stormwater) | Excessive irrigation/overspray | Assess the extent to which irrigation over-spray occurs at city-owned facilities and eliminate overspray as appropriate |
| Education on water conservation | ||
| MS4 Infrastructure | Illicit sanitary connections to MS4 | Detect and eliminate illicit discharges |
| Leaky sewer pipes | Line sewer pipes | |
| Biofilms/regrowth | Reduce dry weather flows, which provide conditions that promote bacteria growth. Dry weather flows could be from night time irrigation of lawns/parks or leaky stormsewer pipes. |