6.0 Introduction

As with any building system, stormwater management practices (SMPs) require maintenance to ensure long-term function. Post-construction, it is the responsibility of the property owner to maintain all SMPs in perpetuity. As described in Chapter 4, SMPs consist of multiple components (e.g., inflow, conveyance, storage, outflow, and vegetation, etc.). Each of these components must be inspected and maintained regularly to properly function. By conducting routine maintenance, property owners identify and address minor maintenance tasks that ensure the proper functioning of an SMP and reduce the need for larger, more expensive repairs over time. If SMPs begin to fail, the subsequent increase in stormwater loading on the sewer systems may contribute to backups and combined sewer overflows into nearby rivers, which, in turn, can cause damage to aquatic life, endanger public health and safety, and violate State and Federal water quality laws.

Chapter 6, Post-Construction and Operations and Maintenance Guidance, provides guidance for the property owner on Operations and Maintenance (O&M) requirements in Section 6.1, and on post-construction SMP inspection in Section 6.2. Chapter 6 also provides information on stormwater credits, for which property owners may be eligible following SMP construction. Further information on the Stormwater Credits Program can be found in Section 6.3.