subject: Factors Affecting Maintenance Of Storm Water Management [print this page] There are a lot of factors that can affect maintenance of stormwater systems. The first being is the visibility of facility and aesthetics. A community has its own unique needs and preferences and this is one factor that can determine the extent of the required maintenance even if it is only for aesthetic purposes. The surrounding community indeed is one big factor that can affect the maintenance of storm water systems.
Another factor that can affect the overall maintenance of storm water systems is the landscaping. Depending on the types of the vegetation used in the landscaping of the area will directly affect the maintenance needs in varying degree. Some vegetation such as vegetated rooftops, rain gardens and dry ponds will require special attention especially when performing the vegetation management.
The upstream conditions will have significant effect on storm water systems maintenance especially with the amount of sediment and pollutants that needs to be managed effectively. For instance, erosion problems and high traffic areas located upstream can significantly increase the accumulation of the amount of sediment and this is one factor that needs to be considered when maintaining the facility.
Furthermore, safety is also another big factor that could affect in the maintenance of storm water management facilities. Since these facilities are involved in the temporary storage of large amount of water, safety of the neighboring residents should be considered in this matter especially when the large amount of water contains varying pollutants. Therefore, it is required that there will be appropriate fencing and signs in addition to confined space training.
In the maintenance of stormwater management bmp facilities, the need for a professional judgment is irreplaceable. This means that when the maintenance of the facility is done by non-professionals, it is still important to consult professionals to make necessary comments on the maintenance of the facility.
The last factor that can affect the storm water management is the cost and financing. If a fund is established to cater for the needs of long-term facility maintenance, the cost of it would not be a problem. Regular maintenance such as sediment removal can be performed without having to worry yourself with financing and costs.
